


Time for you

by Gabebabehot



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward First Times, Barista Sam, Bisexual Sam, Blunt sam, Developing Friendships, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Hook Up, POV First Person, Puppies, Starbucks, Tattoos, Underage Drinking, sam in seattle, stupid phone contact names
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-03-19 11:54:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 26,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13703949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabebabehot/pseuds/Gabebabehot
Summary: Sam moved out to Seattle to find herself, but something, or really someone draws her back home.Alternate Universe where the gang is all out of high school and Danny Phantoms identity is only known by his friends and sister.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I've been writing this for myself because I needed more Sam character development. I do portray Sam more wild than everyone else because she never muted herself within the series. I imagined when she grew up more she would speak her mind, even if its uncomfortably blunt.
> 
> I hope you like reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.  
> Stay tuned! I do plan on completing it.

A couple of months ago, I was just graduating high school. I had my life almost figured out. The plan was to do community college while fighting ghosts, or just kick ghost ass full time. Not alone obviously, I had friends who helped me, or I guess I helped them. Tucker did our tech work, dudes an engineering god. Danny did most of the said ass kicking. I uh, was motivational and stuff. Thats another reason I think I left, I wasn’t really needed. I designed Danny’s logo but that’s about it. I thought Seattle might have needed me, but maybe I needed it.

  
During the summer after graduation, I began to feel useless and that I wasn’t staying true to myself. For example, I used to hate violence! Like I didn’t get the purpose of it at all, expect for in movies, but there I was standing with a gun in hand shooting down Box Ghost, literally the least intimidating ghost ever. Danny had bigger fish to fry that day, but in that moment it hit me. By it I mean the biggest wave of identity crisis probably ever. Who am I? And why the fuck am I doing this?

  
So, I’m here in Seattle, staring at the rain smack against my bedroom window, all alone just like I have been every night for 3 months now. This place was supposed to be perfect for me with all its gloomy weather and abundance of hot coffee. My dumb goth ass made a rash decision, and here I am, all alone in a studio apartment my parents money is paying for all the way from Amity Park. I mostly miss the companionship, but hopefully I’ll find it soon when I start my first day as, yup you guessed it, a starbucks barista. I mean what else is there for an 18 year old white girl to work as? And in Seattle? Yeah I’m living the dream.

  
Oh speaking of dreams, I should probably go to bed, not before I checked my phone to make sure no one was thinking of me. Wow zero notifications? Perfect. I chucked my pants onto the dirty clothes corner of my room and hopped onto the bed. I shut my eyes in hopes of being happy tomorrow without actually having to do anything.


	2. The Jacket

My cell phone alarm buzzed next to my head just as the thinnest beam of sunlight hit my cheek. As my eyes opened, my hair decided to cascade over them as if they too did not want me to get up. Today was the day I started something new, something that would hopefully give me a sense of what the fuck my life is supposed to be. Do I want to be a barista for the rest of my life? I don’t know but it was time to figure it out. 

I rolled out of bed, showered, and put on the same pants from last night. Yeah they were in the dirty pile but they were the only black pants without holes I owned. Senior year became the year that I fell in love with scissors, and the freedom of ripped knee holes. I now had to suffer the consequences. I shoved my feet into my boots and laced them up tightly. I reached for my faded black jean jacket but my whole body abruptly stopped when I remembered the giant patch on the back of it. 

Remember how I designed that cool ass logo for Danny? Yeah well I decided to make Tucker and I patches of that logo to put on our clothing so we could feel like a part of the team. Tucker got a small patch sewn onto his beret, while I decided to go bigger. The D with the little P inside patch covered the entire back of my jacket. It was black but outlined in white to really make it stand out. I remember when I showed Danny my jacket for the first time. He could not stop smiling at me and made sarcastic comments including “Wow Sam, I didn’t know you were my biggest fan.” But he knew I was, he always knew.

Instead of my currently least favorite jacket, I grabbed an army green one from the back of my closet. It had the name Brian sharpied in on the left breast pocket but I think that gave it more character. I shoved all my necessities into the giant pockets and walked to my first day of being a new Sam Manson.

On the walk to work I really thought about who the new Sam Manson wanted to be. First things first, new Sam was going to be able to budget. When I turn 20, I want to be completely independent from my parents and overall self sufficient. Second, more female friends. Women are powerful, smart, supportive, and that’s what I needed in my life. Third, more experimentation. I had grown up with pretty vanilla friends. I literally never went to bed past 11 o'clock because if I did I would be too tired to fight ghosts in the morning. Now, fuck it. I’ll be working with caffeine always on caffeine enjoying late nights and early mornings. That is what being a teenager was all about.

I had perfectly wandered to my place of work just in time. I mean I planned to arrive 20 minutes early to pace outside because of how nervous I was but I just had to take a trip down memory lane with that stupid denim jacket. I made a note to myself to burn it after my shift.

As I walked in, 2 smiling faces greeted me from behind the counter. One was a tall blonde white guy who wore a blue button down with tiny white anchors on it. The second was a cute hispanic girl about my age who wore a gray shirt with one arm sleeve pushed up to her elbow.

“Hi, I’m Sam it’s my first day,” I said. I mean was there anything else to say? 

“Oh boy come on back here then!,” the guy waved me towards him. I took a second to regain some confidence because I felt stupid. I didn’t even really need a job. Was I stealing a job from another person who might actually need it? Yet there I was throwing on a green apron and visor trying to pretend I was happy to be there. It was a whirlwind of emotions that really made me believe my period was a commin’.

The rest of the day blew by quick while working. I wasn’t even really working, I was just observing George and Crystal and getting paid for it. They were both really nice, just they already had inside jokes and shit so I felt just a little excluded. But it was my first day, I didn’t kill anyone and that’s what mattered. As I started walking home, the already darkening sky clouded up and it began to rain. I sprinted towards my apartment building in hopes to getting there without falling on my ass.

As I jogged up the stairs to my apartment, I felt a cold chill run up my spine. Sure I was freezing because I was soaked, but this felt too familiar. I had become strangely aware of how ill prepared I was to fight off a ghost with no Fenton works gadgets on me. I only brought one with me anyway and it was stashed underneath my bed for safe keeping. It’s Seattle. I couldn’t just be walking around with a gun in my jacket. 

As I approached my apartment door, I realized something. I didn’t have to deal with ghosts anymore. They shouldn’t be a problem here. There was no known Ghost Zone opening around. I turned my ass around and walked back down the stairs. Not my problem, not anymore.


	3. Repressing

To avoid any possibility that there was in fact a ghost in my apartment building, I walked back through the rain to my Starbucks. I was soaked now, and just wanted a chai tea latte to sip on. I looked for the friendly faces of George and Crystal but they weren’t there. A tall chubby guy with a thick dark beard looked over to me and smile. I looked at his name tag.  
“Hey Mick, can I get a grande chai tea latte?” 

“Sure thing. Name?”

“Sam.”

“Coming right up.” I reached for my debit card but he waved me off. “You work here right? Don’t worry about it.”

“Oh shit, we get free drinks?”

“Technically no, but we all do it, so seriously don’t worry about it.” Mick flashed me a smile. Wow, what a nice guy.

From the back a tall brunette ran out holding two milk jugs in her hands. She moved quick throwing everything into its rightful spot and kicking the fridge door closed. Her high ponytail whipped around to look at me.

“Did I hear correctly? You’re the new girl?” 

“Yeah, started today officially,” I responded not fully meeting her eyes. Something about her made me feel exposed, like she saw directly into my soul. 

“Im Alexis, that’s Mick and become a closer! We need closers!” The sudden plea stunned me.

“Oh, uh maybe? Um I don’t have a car or anything so walking alone at night would be my only problem.”

“Psh, lame excuse. See how much fun we have tonight as we close. I’ll drive you home later, hopefully you’ll dry up by then.” I agreed and took a seat right across the cash register. It was 7 ish by then and I was slowly warming up with my latte steam hitting my face. I watched as the two worked together pretty perfectly. Mick, slower than Alexis, worked solo at the counter ringing people up and making their orders. Alexis was like a bullet, running around mopping the floors, taking out the trash, and cleaning the bathrooms. She looked like a girl who could do anything.   
When 10 o’clock hit, Mick closed the front door and started counting money. The soft jazz that played over the speakers had suddenly cut off to be replaced with pop punk. Alexis ran out from the back and started singing. Mick had joined in too, stopping every couple minutes to write down totals on a post it note. Alexis whipped her visor at me to get my attention.   
“What kind of music you listen to Sam?” 

“It used to be just metal but I’m thinking of expanding my horizons.”

“That’s my girl!” Alexis shouted. I laughed at her burst of energy. Mick looked up from locking up the money in the safe.

“Alright, we’re done.” Both Mick and Alexis punched out and turned off the lights. Mick turned on the security system and all three of us ran out the exit only door, which wasn’t able to be opened from the outside. 

“So, did I convince you yet?” Alexis asked as we all started walking towards her car. 

“Hm, I’m on the fence still.”

“Well let me take you out tonight, to possibly push you off that fence and into the night shifts arms.” She smiled bright at me, making me blush a little. Mick giggled at the idea and said goodbye to us as he hopped in a beat up honda. 

“Which car is yours?” I asked Alexis, seeing as we had walked almost a block. She pointed to the prius a couple of cars down.

“Thanks for saving the planet.” I said genuinely, hoping it came out not sarcastically, it is a hard sentence to make sound convincing. I hopped into the passenger seat and buckled up. Alexis turned her car on, plugged in her phone into the aux, and drove off.

We were going the opposite direction of my apartment, but I assumed she was trying to woo me and show me around town. She asked me where I was from, if I liked working at Starbucks, and how my eyeliner had stayed in place even after I walked through a rainstorm. I got to know her as well. Alexis was born and raised in Washington, had been working at Starbucks for the past 3 years, and was a part of the local band scene. She had hosted a couple of shows in her parents backyard before, although she lives on her own now, and had invited me to the next one in a month. 

We pulled up to a bar that seemed to be fairly empty.   
“You know im 18 right?” I informed Alexis.

“I’m underage too, doesn’t mean my boobs aren’t going to get us in.” This girl never seizes to amaze me, but I was still skeptical. I didn’t really drink, more because I didn’t have time. Also my best friends prefered to go into a diabetic coma over an alcohol induced one. But for my quest to become a reckless and eventually experienced woman, I knew I needed to be on board.

“Let’s do it.” 

We got out of the car and walked on over to the guy checking ID’s at the door. I expected Alexis to just flash him or something but instead she just said hi and we both just walked right in.   
“Wait, I’m confused no boobs?”

“You know Sam, if you want to see them all you gotta do is ask.” She winked at me. 

“I’ll remember that.”

“That’s Johnny, we sometimes fuck so we’re cool is all.” I looked at her funny. 

“Sometime you fuck? That’s it?” 

“Yeah?” She exaggerated the yeah as if she was confused, which in turn made me more confused. I never understood why people who liked each other didn’t just date. We walked to the bar and I got whatever Alexis got. I wasn’t about to question her again tonight. She seemed like she just wanted to make a friend and I was very willing to be that friend. 

We did some drinking, then some weird dancing with strangers, and then it was time to leave. As we were walking out, Alexis gave her car keys to Johnny and told him to drive us back to her apartment. I didn’t think he would do it, but I get her pussy must’ve been magic. I didn’t realize that alcohol makes your mouth talk when you didn’t want it too because that’s when I turned to Alexis and asked, “So like your pussy is magic huh?” Johnny and Alexis started laughing but no one disagreed. 

After a short ride, we got to Alexis’s apartment. It was a studio apartment with just a big bed pushed against a wall and to get to the bathroom I had to walk through her closet. Johnny lived in the same building as Alexis, which made more sense for him to drive us here than the wonders of magical vaginas.

I plopped down onto Alexis’s bed and started untying my boots. Once they were off, I looked up to find Alexis with more alcohol in her hands. 

“Now this is the part of the friendship were we get totally fucked and we tell each other our deepest darkest secrets.” My already pretty drunk ass thought that was the best plan in the world. We started talking about Alexis’s piece of shit father, and how she really does have some daddy issues. I told her about my parents and how they wanted me to be something I wasn’t. We talked about animals and how we didn’t deserve them, and how I used to be vegan until my doctor told me I couldn’t be any longer. I told Alexis about how even since that doctors appointment I’ve gained 20 pounds all at my thighs and butt and I couldn’t wear skirts anymore. She hit my arm and told me I was an idiot. 

“Alexis?”

“Yeah?” We were laying on her bed side by side, staring up at her ceiling.

“I really needed tonight, thank you.” 

“Psh, do you think the nights done?” I turned my head to look at her. I was drunk, no doubt about it, and she was too. My eyelids wanted to shut for the next couple of hours but the look in Alexi’s eyes told me that that wouldn’t be possible.

“Can you make me some coffee then?” 

“Of course.” She got off the bed, wobbled a little bit, then strut over to her tiny kitchen and french pressed me some dark roast.

“Now, Sam, what really brought you out here to Seattle.” She looked my dead in the eyes as she handed me my coffee. I couldn’t lie to her any longer, like I had become physically in able. My mouth had a mind of it’s own.

“I fucked my best friend,” I said, almost too quickly. I didn’t want to hear the words, but I wanted to say them. 

“And?” she pressed on, knowing there was more to the story. 

“Well, I liked him for like 4 years now, and then we had sex, and right after he high fived me and flew out of my house.” I meant flew like literally flew out but she didn’t have to know that part.   
“What an ass.” 

“Yeah, he had a great one.” I said, which made me start giggling.“He had no idea where to put his hands? It was so awkward.”   
“First times are always awkward.”

“See but I had sex before, but he was my first guy so-” 

“Wait you like girls too?” Alexis cut me off.

“Yeah, you’re cool with that right?” 

“Yeah of course, now I’m just going to flirt with you more.”

“You already have me drunk in you’re bed so you’re doing something right.” Alexis hugged me from were she was sitting.

“I think you’re really cool Sam, so lets keep drinking, play some UNO, and,” she said the next part really nonchalantly, “maybe do some naked twister i dunno think bout it,” and she shrugged her shoulders. I pointed my finger at her accusingly.

“So you were flirting with me!” 

“What no! I’m just drunk psh.” She waved me off.

“Drunk or not, you’re a lil gay.”

Alexis scratched her head. She really had to think of what to say next. She laid back down onto her bed and said “Yeah, but I could never give up dick.” She looked almost sad. I layed down next to her and wrapped an arm around her. 

“Sexuality is fluid, you don’t have to label yourself as anything. Lord knows I took forever to admit to myself I was Bi, and hell this is the first time I’m admitting it out loud.” Alexis turned to me and kissed me gently on the lips. She looked me right in my eyes as she pulled away and said 

“I want some fries.” I threw my head back in laughter as she was able to turn a really sweet moment of friendship into something completely different in a split second. 

It was 2 am, and the burger place on the corner was still lit up like a christmas tree. We steadily walked over, trying to not look like we had spent the past 2 hours drinking. We ordered some fries and as we walked out, I noticed a Tattoo parlor still open across the street. What a perfect cliche to make a mistake.

“Hey, I really want to do something stupid. Can you just be a supportive friend?” Alexis looked at me and said.

“Of course! Go get something tattooed on your ass, but first,” she took out a little bowl from her jacket, “let’s smoke a little.”

Ah weed, I smoked weed, once. It did nothing to me, felt like a waste of time really, so yeah we smoked and I coughed a little and then darkness.


	4. My ass hurts

My eyes shot open and for a second I didn’t remember where I was. My head felt heavy, although it didn’t hurt so I was happy about that. I rubbed my face with my hands and felt the nasty make up I hadn’t taken off smear across my face. I looked over to my left to find no one there. 

“Good morning baby, really had fun last night.” I looked behind me to find Alexis standing over me drinking coffee, all dressed and showered. What she said hit me and I instinctively smelled my fingers.

“Oh you’re nasty! No we didn’t fuck.” I let out a sigh of relief, I was looking for a friend not a girlfriend.

“I think I hate you, or maybe I love you I can’t figure that out yet.” I grumbled. She walked over and handed me a cup of fresh brewed coffee.

“Nevermind, I love you.” She patted my head softly. I slowly sat up and started sipping dark roast deliciousness. 

“It was really fun hanging out with you, I figured you had a wild side.”

“Is that why you want me to be a part of the night crew, to party more?”

“That, and we really do need more closers.”

“Ok” I said and took another sip.

“Ok? Like your gonna do it?” 

“Yup.” She let out a small shriek. I leaned over to my right to set my coffee mug down on her bedside table when I felt a small burning sensation hit me. I looked down to see I had a small bandage about 2 by 3 inches long taped to the side of my upper ass/ hip area.

“Oh holy shit I actually did it didn’t I?” I looked at Alexis for confirmation.

“Yes, yes you did and I’m kinda upset that you didn’t get a water lily instead.”

“What did I get?” I asked. Alexis looked at me wide eyed.

“Oh holy shit you don’t remember a thing do you?”

“Nope, well I guess I’ll be surprising myself.”

I stood up and walked into Alexis’s bathroom. First I peed, but then I put my underwear back on and just lowered to to right below the bandage. I slowly started to peel it off as I stared at my reflection on the floor length bathroom mirror. 

“Fuck! No!” I yelled, and Alexis stormed in.

“Yeah I thought that too but then you said you reallllly wanted to regret this tattoo so I didn’t stop you.” I looked down at the side of my ass to see a little black Danny Phantom logo, the logo I designed, on my ass in all black.

“Drunk me knows sober me all too well.” 

“Why do you hate Danny Phantom so much?” Alexis asked. Of course. No one knew Danny Fenton was Danny Phantom.

“He was just a pain in my ass back in Amity Park, and now he’s a literal one here in Seattle.” We both snickered at my comment.

“Now I don’t mean to kick you out but Johnny has been blowing up my phone so,”

“Yeah, no problem. Thanks for letting my crash here, I had a lot of fun last night.” 

“Of course friend, here let me give you my number and let’s do this again sometime.”

“Yeah but can you get the next tattoo?”

“Fuck no.” I groaned playfully. We exchanged phone numbers and I called an uber to take me back to my place. On the ride there, I kept thinking about my idiotic tattoo. Everytime someone takes off my underwear, they are going to think I’m a giant Phantom phanatic. What was worse, I knew the true meaning of that symbol. Danny had broken my heart. He led me on for a couple of years at least, fucked me, and we never spoke about it again. But maybe Alexis had the right idea about sex. It can be meaningless and just plain ol fun. Maybe I should try that next seeing as drunk me likes to make mistakes for life. 

I got out of my uber and walked up to my apartment. I remembered why I turned around and went back to my Starbucks, but nothing felt out of the ordinary this time. I got my key out and open my door. I walked in kicked the door closed behind me and immediately started stripping. All of my clothes felt nasty on my body and I just needed a shower. As my pants fell off my legs, I felt a chill hit the back of my spine. Just as I lifted my shirt over my head I heard someone say, “Whoa wait is that a tattoo?!” 

I fell onto the floor and put my shirt back on. Out of thin air, Dani appeared right in front of me in her human body. She was still a little shorter than me, but she had grown since the last time I saw her. “Oops, I really didn’t mean to scare you!” she said an offered me a hand. I took it but stayed silent.

“Sorry, I was just passing by and Danny said you lived here now so I wanted to pop in. Are you okay? You don’t look okay.”

“I um, sorry Danny said I lived here?”

“Yeah, he said that you moved to Seattle to rule the gloomiest of all the goths.” 

“Huh,” was all I could muster up to say to that. I shook my head quickly to realize what was happening.

“DANI! HOLY SHIT! HI! I HAVEN’T SEEN YOU IN ALMOST A YEAR!” I exclaimed as I hugged her tight.

“Now that’s a proper hello.” I let go of her after a couple of seconds.

“Shit let me shower real quick and we can catch up and get some coffee sounds good?”

“Awesome Possum.”


	5. Shower Thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some explicit lovin'

I stepped into the warm shower water and let my body relax. Dani, the younger of the phantoms, the adorable ghost girl, was in my apartment, just visiting. No fighting, no need for my help, just hey let’s catch up. I knew I’d enjoy that. There was one problem though, Dani would probably talk about Danny, and I wasn’t ready for that. She probably didn’t know what happened between us, but maybe I should tell her? Dani would be suspicious anyway if I constantly avoid talking about Danny. I started replaying that day in my head.

We lounged in my basement that night, watching horror movies and snacking on nachos, all three of us. When it got late, Tucker asked Danny for a lift home, so they flew off together. Like unmannered children, they had left me a mess to clean up. Looking for where to start, my eyes settled on something colorful sticking out of the couch cushion Danny had been sitting on. I walked over to pick it up, just in time to realize what it was. Out of the back of Danny’s pants pocket, fell out a condom, one single condom he had probably carried around for ages just in case. At least that’s what I assumed.

I remembered laughing, laughing at the fact that he even would bring it to a chillaxed hang with his two best buddies. I grabbed my phone and called him.

“Hey Sam, something wrong?” Danny answered. I continued laughing a little.

“Nope, just uh I think I found something of yours?” Right when I said that, I blushed hard, because I realized the mistake I had made. I was holding a condom in my hand, calling up Danny, and trying to play it cool. I heard Danny shuffling over the phone. He was already home. 

“Fuck,” was all he could mutter.

“Yeah,” was all I could respond with. There was a silence over the phone that felt unnatural. We never had nothing to say to each other, we were best friends, so I tried to keep conversation without making things more awkward.

“So you gonna pick it up or?” I mentally slapped myself in the face. IT WAS A SHITTY DOLLAR STORE CONDOM. No importance whatsoever to this kid, and I was sat home alone holding it, asking him to come over and pick it up. Pathetic.

“Uh yeah, I can do that I’ll be there soon?” he more asked than stated.

“Cool,” I said then hung up the phone. My game was so bad when it came down to Danny. I never thought him and I would become something, but I always remembered hoping.   
Waiting for him to show up was the worst part, that feel of dread yet possible excitement was there. I figured it was just going to be an awkward exchange and I would just chuck the condom at him and nothing would happen that night. That’s what should’ve happened.

Danny had flown into my basement in ghost form, quickly changing to human as his feet hit the ground. I did what anyone would do in that situation, I started laughing at him again.   
“Oh fuck off!” Danny said he crossed his arms and tried to snatch the condom out of my hands, but I wasn’t done laughing. 

“No dude, come on this is funny.” 

“I’ll say it again, fuck off!” 

“Don’t you mean fuck on?” I laughed at my idiotic joke, I couldn’t do much, but I needed to keep laughing to lighten the mood. I looked up at Danny to see he wasn’t laughing at all. He looked defeated, which was a look rarely see on The Danny Phantom’s face.

“Oh dude, you know I’m joking right?” I asked hoping to see a change on his face. He half smiled at me.

“Yeah, just,” he sighed, “Nevermind.”

“What dude?”

“Could I just get that back, thanks,” 

“Yeah, sorry,” I handed back the condom to its rightful owner. He looked at it then back up at me.

“To be clear, I only carry this around because you never know when or who is gonna get laid.” 

“Yeah, I figured.”

“Like even if like you needed one, I’d have it handy.”

“Why would you be involved in my sex life?”

“Obviously to do this, HAI YA,” he whipped the condom toward my face. I dodged it, only to get scratched by the side of it. I grabbed my cheek.

“DUDE!”

“Oh shit!” Danny ran over to me, “let me see.”

It was a small thin scratch that became a bright red against my pasty cheek.

“Yet you wonder why you’re still a virgin.” I said purely out of anger. We all knew the reason why, because if it wasn’t ghosts, it was parents, if it wasn’t parents, it was school. Kid barely had anytime to jerk off. Danny furrowed his eyebrows.

“Fuck you, I could be fucking Paulina as Danny Phantom, but since you got to her first,” Danny plopped onto the couch he always sat on, “I’ll have to wait for another opportunity to arise.”  
“Here?” Danny’s widened, knowing what had been implied by this action.

“Umm,” his face got red, like really red. That was it. I could have backed down, I could have told him I was joking, but I knew that this moment was rare. I saw an opportunity, an opportunity to really get to him, and I took it.

“Did I ever tell you how Paulina and I ended up in my house together? All alone? With no one around to stop me from fucking her?” I said feeling my own face heat up as I said it. I knew this was something I never planned on sharing, but maybe the idea of Paulina and I together would get Danny’s attention. 

“N-no,” Danny looked up at me, eager to listen. I moved to sit on the coffee table, right in front of Danny. I talked slow, making sure he heard every part clearly. 

“She was walking home from a party, I heard her scream from my bedroom window, so I ran out to help her. It was just some guys being idiots, so I let her come inside.” Dannys eyebrows raised when I said come. I wanted to laugh again, but that would’ve ruined the suspense.

“I brought her upstairs to my room, told her she could sleep on my bed and that I’d sleep down here, but she didn’t want to be alone. She was really thankful, so thankful she had stuck her hand up my skirt. She really knew what she was doing.” I smiled when I saw how Danny had twitched at my last sentence.

“While one hand was there,” I took Danny’s hand and placed it in between my thighs, “Her left was placed here.” I took Danny’s left hand and placed it on my waist. I wasn’t wearing a skirt that day, but it got the desired effect. Danny’s right hand slowly started to creep upwards, looking up at me to see if it was okay. I spread my legs a little to give him an all clear. He started lightly rubbing my center, truly unsure if he was doing anything correct. I kept on with the story.

“She did little circles, and little flicks, and then she got rougher.” Danny’s hand did the same. My legs were getting that tingly feeling, and my stomach felt that build up. To egg him on, I moaned, “Oh Pauli- I mean Danny.” He looked up at me, almost shocked that I would play around like that during such an intimate moment.

“Can we-?” he asked as if he was a 6 year old boy asking his mom if they could go to the candy store. I smiled at him.

“Yeah.” I nodded to him. I stood up and unbuttoned my pants and he did the same. I knew that I was going to take charge, even though I’d prefer not too, but he’d been in charge of saving the universe so this one thing I could do. 

He kicked off his shoes and dropped his pants to the floor, his boxer briefs being pulled into a well endowed tent. 

“Sit,” I commanded, and he obliged. I sat on top of him, keeping my butt hovering over his crotch. The confidence was real until that second. Sex, I’d had sex, but with a girl who I hated. Hate sex is different than “here is me showing my affection for you” sex. I think Danny saw the panic in my eyes.

“We can stop? Do you want to stop? We should stop.” That’s when I kissed him. That made things better, the kissing. This wasn’t the first time we had kissed, even though we weren’t supposed to ever count the fake out make out. This was a real kiss that made me comfortable enough to place my newly acquired butt onto Danny’s erection. Danny perked up and kissed me harder, adding tongue. He placed his hands hesitantly on my waist, and I began to rock back and forth on top of him. 

To be really blunt, I was the wettest I had ever been. I felt myself dripping into my underwear and needed for them to be taken off. I broke the kiss and stood up. Danny looked a little confused until he saw what I was doing. I slowly dipped my thumbs into the sideband of my underwear and shimmied them down to the floor. I stepped out of them and waited for Danny to follow suit. But he didn’t. He just stared at me. I had lost my patience. I grabbed his underwear by the waist band and pulled them off. I was met face to face with his dick so I did what anyone would. I gently grasped his dick at the base and put the head in my mouth. 

I really didn’t know if I was sucking his dick properly but I was having a great time. I had kneeled before him and rested my other hand on his upper thigh. I looked up at him with his dick still in my mouth. He had both of his hands gripping at the roots of his hair. We met eyes and he blushed the brightest red I had ever seen. I kept eye contact as I stood up and sat on his lap once more. 

“I uh, don’t know where to put my hands,” he shyly whispered. I chuckled at his innocence as he was about to lose his innocence. 

“Here,” I placed them back at my waist for safe keeping. 

This time, Danny was the one who kissed me, and it was rougher than before. I ran my hands through his hair and tugged at it. If he liked doing it to himself, he should love it when I do it. He broke the kiss to whisper the word “fuck” breathlessly into my mouth. That was what pushed me to say what I said next.

“Stick your dick in me.” Danny looked me right in the eyes as he raised his eyebrows and smirked. That prick. “You are such an asshole.” 

“But Sam, would you let an asshole stick their dick in you?” He kept smirking, and it turned me on even more so.

“Can you please just fuck me already?” I whined. Yes, I, Sam, whined, like a dog when you stop petting it, to get fucked, by Danny.

“Say please.” But I didn’t, I just started kissing him, his mouth then down to his neck then back up again. His hands moved off my waist to put on the same condom that had scratched my face earlier. I moved my hips side to side not being able to control any movement anymore. He lined himself up and I sat on it, wasting no time. We were back to grinding our bodies together but this time, it was more hungry. I needed to cum and so did he and it was a race to the finish line. My hands were entangled in his hair, while he kept his glued to my waist. Jesus christ was this kid scared to grab anything else. I mean we were fucking, having sex, doin it, but he didn’t move his hands. Because he wasn’t going to grab me, I made him kiss my neck by pulling his hair aggressively to move his head. He got the hint and started kissing and licking the crook of my neck. Ah hickeys, not a personal favorite of mine but hey I was helping me cum so I didn’t really care. 

I was shaking, and cumming on Danny for what felt like forever before he came. We slowed our sporadic movements and I slowly stood up. My legs wobbled a little but I managed to put my underwear back on and sit on the couch. Danny had gotten up, taken his clothes and went to the bathroom. I didn’t bother putting my pants back on. I mean he already saw me with his dick in my mouth. That’s an image he probably won’t forget. I knew I was smiling. I had done it, seduced Danny. I mean the plan wasn’t to fuck and leave him but to show him my affection. He walked out of the bathroom and my smile grew. 

“You good?” I asked, trying to be casual. 

“Uh,” he nervously chuckled, “Yeah, so I gotta go, you were great tho,” and he raised his hand up for a high 5. I again did what any girl would do in that situation. 

I smacked his hand with mine and said “Thanks bro, see ya later.” 

I slapped myself in the forehead in the shower remembering it all. I called him bro! BRO! Anyway I had to step out of the shower before Dani realized something was wrong.   
Water dripped off my hair and onto my bathroom tiles as I tried to put some clothes on. My new tattoo got covered in ripped blue jeans and a tank top. I walked out to see Dani scrolling the internet for funny videos.

“Hey you ready to go?” she asked when she saw me.

“Yeah let’s do this.” I put on my boots and reached for my army green jacket but Dani stopped me. 

“What, you don’t wanna wear my symbol anymore?” I awkwardly laughed at Dani’s confrontational tone. 

“Look it’s not that-,” Dani interrupted me with a sigh.

“I know it’s mine and Danny’s, but he’s not here, I am, DP stands for two very different Danny Phantoms.”

“I mean DP also stands for something completely different in porn so,” 

“GROSS!” Dani yelled but laughed. I smiled and dropped my army green jacket on the floor so I could pick up the jacket Dani really wanted me to wear.


	6. Coffee Babes

“I still don’t see why I couldn’t just fly us over here,” Dani said as she leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. I sat down across from her, setting our white mochas down carefully. 

“Get over it please,” I asked in a whisper. Dani dramatically grabbed her coffee and sipped. I had forgotten that Dani was going through puberty, while still being mentally very young. She didn’t get to gradually grow up, it all just hit her. 

“We can fly home ok?” Dani smiled at me.

“Awesome.”

We started talking about Dani’s wild experiences from when she was away. She had made it to multiple continents, made multiple friends, and pet multiple dogs. The more she talked the bigger her smile got. She suddenly stopped.

“Sorry, I got too excited about my life, how is yours?”

“Good, I have a job some friends, life's pretty good.”

“Better than your life in Amity Park?” she inquired sheepishly. I squinted at her wondering why should would bring up my old life so not casually.

“This wasn’t a ‘Hey Sam I’m just stopping bye’ thing was it.”

“Sam, Danny is dying.” 

“What?!” 

“WHOOPS, not literally, should have chosen my word more carefully.”

“You asshole.” I let out a sigh of relief, and glared at Dani, but she seemed to smirk.

“Funny you should call me an asshole.” I furrowed my eyebrows. 

“What?” She seemed to be holding in a laugh. “Seriously, what? I’m really getting angry over here.” That’s when she started laughing, full on laughing. I groaned in frustration and walked out of the Starbucks.

“WAIT!” Dani yelled from behind me, but I kept walking. Right as I was about to cross the street to my apartment building, I felt my right leg not hit the pavement. I felt a familiar sensation of being weightless, and realized Dani was flying us up to the roof of my building. She gently lowered me and revealed herself in her human form to me once more. 

“I’m sorry okay? Just when situations get awkward I laugh.”

“How was that awkward? What got awkward.” Dani turned around facing away from me.

“You can’t get mad at him.”

“Mad at who? Danny? I already am.”

“Ok, so you can’t get more mad.”

“If you don’t spit it out soon I’m gonna jump off of here.” I looked over the edgy and contemplated if Dani would actually have time to save me from the fall.   
Dani took a deep breath. “I overheard Danny talking to Tucker about, um, what he said to you that night.”

“The night I left?” I was visibly confused, if only Dani looked at me.

“No, no,” she turned around to face me. “The sex.” I had stopped breathing at that point. 

“Who knows?” was all I could muster up to ask. 

“Tucker and me is all I swear.” 

“FUCK! Im going to murder him.”

“How?” The innocent question angered me more.

“I DON’T KNOW, Maybe I’ll throw him into another Ghost Zone portal to kill the other half of him.”

“Well, you would have to see him again to kill him.” She smirked. She had trapped me. 

“What did he exactly say?” 

“Well you were there so-”

“NO! To Tucker.”

“Oh well from what I heard, you guys where making out and then you called him an asshole, and then he asked if you let assholes-”

“Ah! Nope! Don’t!” I interrupted her. I had already relieved that memory today.

“Yeah, so the word asshole is ruined for me.” 

“I understand completely.” We nodded at each other. 

“So look, about Danny-” she paused to see if I would interject, but I let her continue, “he hasn’t been the same since you left.” 

“I’m not going back.”

“Okay.” Okay? That’s all she had? I was ready to put up a fight. “Oh so I’m going to have to borrow some pjs.” I simply nodded.

We phased through the roof and landed smoothly in my bedroom. I actually put on pajamas alongside Dani, and we hopped into bed. I turned off the light and laid facing away from Dani until she began to speak.

“I’m sorry for invading your privacy, I know I shouldn’t have listened to that conversation.” I turned to face her, but she had been facing away again.

“Turn around please, I want to see your face when I say this.” She slowly obeyed. I placed my left hand on her cheek.

“I accept your apology, and I understand that you were curious. I’m not mad, at either you or Danny. He believed he was in a private conversation with his best friend about a very intimate moment in his life.”

“So you don’t hate Danny?” I smiled and kissed Dani’s forehead.

“Oh sweetie, no I still hate Danny,” 

“He doesn’t hate you, he misses you.” I pulled my phone out from under my pillow turned my screen on. I twisted my hand to show her the empty notification bar.

“I didn’t change my number, he can reach me at anytime.” Dani’s eyebrows sunk on her face.

“Yeah I have to agree with you now.”

“About?”

“Danny.”

“Explain.”

“He’s an asshole.”


	7. Don't come back

I woke up that morning to an empty bed, with a note from Dani on my nightstand. She said some asshole needed her help back in Amity Park, and I knew that she wrote that for my amusement. Danny was her only true blood relative, only person who understood what it was like to be half ghost and half teenager. He was her family, and nothing was going to change that. I groaned in frustration when the sunlight from my window hit my face. Seattle what the fuck? You’re not supposed to be sunny. 

I rolled out of bed, showered, and ran to work, only to find out Alexis requested me for the night shift. It was 9 in the morning, and I didn’t start work until 5. I got a free americano and walked back home. I was bored. Like super bored, like I had already masterbated and was just staring at the wall bored. Maybe some self care? Maybe some laundry? Nah, I sat on the floor in front of my wall length mirror and started doing my makeup. I did some dramatic liner with plum eyeshadow and glued on the biggest lashes I had. I took some photos for myself and strongly considered creating a Tinder profile. 

I scrubbed my makeup off and put on a face mask, when my phone started ringing. I looked at the caller ID and almost cried. Tucker. Tucker fricken Foley was calling me after not talking for 3 months. I rushed to swipe my phone to answer.

“Tucker?” I asked, with some excitement to my voice.

“SAM, thank god I got you on the line look, you need to come back.”

“Um no? Why?” 

“Danny’s about to do something stupid.”

“Then stop him? I don’t get it, what’s the problem?”

“He’s-” but I cut him off. I was suddenly angry.

“And FUCK YOU. We don’t speak for months and you expect me to listen to you? You expect me to come running back? I left for a reason fuckface, leave me alone.”

“Sam!-” But I had hung up. Tears blurred my vision as I walked to the bathroom to wash off my muddy face mask. The phone call killed me inside. I kept wondering what Tucker wanted to tell me but I knew hanging up on him was the smartest decision. Still I kept thinking about what stupid thing had Danny gotten himself into.

I started thinking of all the possibilities in his ghost life. Maybe he teamed up with Vlad, maybe he changed his jumpsuit colors, maybe he decided to live forever in the ghost zone. Unless he was making a mistake as Danny Fenton. Maybe he was going off to a college he couldn’t afford, maybe he got frosted tips, maybe he was losing his humanity.

O, the last one gave me chills. Danny wouldn’t split himself apart, especially since he saw what he could become, right? His human self was the only thing keeping him from being an evil villain. I sighed heavily and unlocked my phone. I scrolled through my contacts and dialed GhostBoi. My heart began to beat faster with every ring. He didn’t answer, so I decided to leave a message. I waited for the beep.

“Hey, It’s me Sam, and I’m going to tell you not to do it. Just don’t. Thanks.” I hung up, feeling a little disappointed he didn’t answer. Having Dani visit made me miss Danny. Is that okay to say? Like I know Dani is an amazing person, and I’m so proud of her becoming an independent woman with her own thoughts and feelings even though she was meant to be an exact clone of Danny.

So Dani made me think of Danny. And Tucker calling me made me think of Danny. I was just lying in my bed thinking of Danny: how he always tucked his head into my shoulder when we hugged, and how he would jump during scary movies and look around to make sure no one saw, or how he would fold his fries in half to scoop ketchup up to get the perfect fry to ketchup ratio. But thinking of Danny also made me think of the after sex high 5 and the way we said goodbye to each other.

I sat the boys on my bed, and told them not to freak out. I never really called a team meeting before, because I never had to. My clothes were already packed, and I was leaving that night. Tucker spoke first “Sam, what’s going on?”

“So, I called you guys here to say goodbye. I’m leaving tonight for Seattle, where my goth self can thrive.” I said with faked happiness. I didn’t think saying bye was going to be this tough. Danny and Tucker looked at each other in confusion, but then started laughing.

“You can’t be serious right?” Danny asked, but when I didn’t answer, the laughter died and he asked again. “Right?” 

“I need to get out of here, away from ghosts and sunshine. I need to become my own person, explore. Not that being on team Phantom isn’t great but you know that saying ‘there’s no I in team’ yeah well I don’t know who I am.”

“But we know who you are! You are Sam Manson, best friend, ghost hunter, and bisexual goth!” Tucker exclaimed. 

“SH! Parents are here.” I had to shush Tucker. I kept the Bi thing from my parents just because they would be asking me more about my love life than ever, not because they wouldn’t accept me, but because they’re curious creatures who don’t know any people from the LGBT+ community. “Look guys, I want to go drink coffee, enjoy the rain, maybe get a cat-”  
“You can do that here.” Danny said barely audible. I walked closer to them, and made them move apart so I could sit in between them. 

“I think you both know that it’s more than what I’m letting on. I’m not happy, and moving is a big change that could have a positive outcome. OR it could be the worst time of my life. I won’t know until I try.” That’s when Danny stood up and faced me. 

“Sure go, find yourself, find your goths, find random people to fuck for all I care, but don’t pretend that you couldn’t be happy here. You’re running away from something.” O welp now I was for sure going.

“Fuck you Danny, I’m gonna go to Seattle, get new friends, and be happy, because the only thing that’s going to be suffocating me there is some bearded guy while he’s fucking me!” I added the fucking thing only because he added his fucking thing. 

“We’re suffocating you?” Tucker asked me with a hint of sadness in his voice. I sighed.

“Kinda, yeah. I mean I never go a day without seeing you guys so,”

“But moving to Seattle is a little extreme.” 

“It’s a change, a big one, that I need.” Tucker hugged me. He didn’t get it, but he supported me anyway. 

“We’ll miss you.” I looked up at Danny to see if he agreed with the statement but I couldn’t read him. I stood up to try to meet Danny’s eyes.

“Goodbye, Danny.” I tried to hug him, but he kept his arms to the side, and his head didn’t nuzzle into my neck. I let go to see him frowning at me.

“Don’t come back.” he whispered, just to me, and walked out. Tucker hugged me again and handed me a fenton gun. 

“Just incase, stay safe Manson.”

“Always.” I smiled as he walked out of my room.

That’s why I never planned on going back. The one person I wanted to want me, didn’t want me. I was mad again. Pissed. I was a great first fuck, first of all. I mean I did most of the work anyway. Second, I’ve known him for YEARS, been his best friend for YEARS, been into him for YEARS, and sucked his dick for MULTIPLE MINUTES. The last one was more about my ego but still. My phone buzzed next to my head. My palms instantly started sweating just thinking that it could potentially be Danny.

But it wasn’t. Alexis just texted me to let me know that she was excited to work with me tonight. Ah, time for work, time for Danny thoughts to leave me alone.


	8. Get that Mick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sam getting the dick down SHE DESERVES!!! Pussy ass Dicky Possum could never

So, there I was working,still thinking of Danny. Alexis saw that I wasn’t on top of my game and pulled me into the back, letting Mick take the front. 

“What’s wrong babe?” She asked me while observing my face.

“Sorry, I’m just in too deep in my head.” She pulled me into a hug.

“Can I do anything?” she whispered in my ear, but I shook my head no and broke the hug.

“I just need to stop thinking.”

“Ok pick your poison for tonight, we’ve got alcohol, drugs, sex-” I cut her off.

“Sex, and like good sex, like sex that makes me want to die.” Alexis looked shocked at what I had said, but she came to pretty quick.

“You want Johnny?” 

“Eh, no. He’s all yours.” She frowned.

“What’s wrong with Johnny.”

“Nothing, just the set up would be weird ‘Hey, here's my friend fuck her for me thanks’”

“I see, I see. Well what about Mick?” I looked outside the little window from the back door to see Mick doing his job carefully, really putting heart into each latte he made.

“He seems to sweet to just fuck.” Alexis laughed at me.

“So was your bestie right?” Fuck, she got me.

“Mick it is.”

Mick was cute, and sweet, and was huge, like giant beautiful man bear. He had a nice short beard, that I really did want rubbed on my face. Ah yes, face rubbing, the most sexual act since ass eating. Now, I’m not saying I could get anyone I wanted, because if that was the case I’d still be in Amity Park, but having an ass helped in these situations. 

While working with Mick up in the front, I chatted him up inserting minor flirtations because what straight guy doesn’t like a girl complimenting them? He asked me if I needed a ride home after Alexis publicly announced she couldn’t drive me tonight. Best wing woman in town. I said please and thank you and we continued working. 

We got done earlier than usual because there were finally enough closers. Alexis split off from Mick and me, giving us a chance to talk further.

“So, how are you liking Seattle?” he asked as we both entered his beat up honda.

“It’s pretty dark and gloomy, so, you know, I love it.” He smiled, he didn’t know how big of a goth I am, or maybe was. Goth was cool, until people starting posting online for big tittied goth girls. Goth meant more to me in Amity park, than here in Seattle because it was the only thing that defied me that I got to choose, that I had control over. 

“So, I’m just going to ask but were you flirting with me? You know back there, at work?” Boys are adorable, they never know anything.

“Oh yeah, big time.” I responded feeling heat hit my cheeks. The ones on my face not my ass. Can an ass heat up? Nevermind.

“So could I take you out? Maybe to a movie or-” but I had to stop him. Dating took time, and in that time I’d still be thinking of Danny. I needed it to stop tonight.

“Or, you could just come over to my place.”

“Does that mean what I think it means?” Something about that question turned me off a little bit, but hopefully he wouldn’t talk as much while fucking me. 

“I guess you’ll find out soon.” We pulled up to my apartment, and both got out. There was a silent tension that grew with every step we took to get upstairs. We were both walking faster than normal, because who wouldn’t be excited to get laid? 

I opened up my door and we rushed in. Mick grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him, while his other hand held my head in place. He bent down to kiss me and MY GOD, did the beard tickle, but in an amazing way. I put both of my hands on either side of his beard, running my hands through it ever so slightly. Danny couldn’t grow a beard, not like this one. Fuck, I was still thinking of Danny. I needed more.

I pulled away from the kiss to take off my shirt, but Mick had a different idea. He grabbed my hips and lifted me up. I instinctively put my knees up around him but it wasn’t even necessary. He threw me down on the bed in a split second and gosh darn it was it the hottest thing ever. I was about to be fucked, and not like cute romantic fucking, but like potental porn star fucking. I threw my shirt off as Mick unbuttoned my pants and pulled them off my legs. Mick took off his shirt and unbuttoned his pants above me. He kneeled down on the floor at the edge of my bed and pulled me by my legs back down. He started kissing me through my underwear and holy shit did it tickle. I started giggling and squirming, because never had i felt that sensation before because last I checked, Paulina didn’t have a beard.

Mick took my squirming as a sign that he was doing something right. Which he was, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t need to get eaten out tonight. Obviously I still enjoyed it, but god damn was it too much teasing. I grabbed his right hand off my thigh and placed it on my vagina, hoping he would get that hint. He did. Apparently verbal cues were his only weakness.

He pulled my underwear to the side and slid in a finger, then two, and I was wiggling and grabbing everything in sight. It felt like I couldn’t get my legs to spread far enough apart, nor could I keep them still. See Danny, that’s something hands can do. I slapped myself in the face. Oh no, I was still thinking of Danny. Mick’s fingers are inside me and all I could think, shit all I could wish, was that they were someone else's. I was fucked up. BUt then again, who isn’t right? How bad would it really be if I pretended Mick was Danny?

It was too late, I was already doing it. I was cumming on Mick’s fingers wishing they weren’t his, wishing that his beard was just some patchy dark spots that I would make fun later, wishing that the next words out of his mouth would sound like Danny, not Mick.

I opened my eyes and saw Mick had his pants off already, and I could pretty much instantly tell I was going to cum again soon. I layed there, not really knowing what to do. Mick was a really big guy, so him on top of me was going to be pretty sweaty. Thankfully, he flipped me over. I got up on my knees, but kept my face in my sheets, My underwear was just pulled to the side, which made me a little uncomfortable, but Mick wouldn’t have eyes on my Danny Phantom tattoo. Before he put it in I looked back at him and said “Please don’t cum in me.” Because not only were birth control pills only 78 percent effective now, I had only started taking them a month ago. 

“No problem.” And in the moment, I felt his dick slide on in. He grabbed my underwear and bunched it up in his hand. He used it to help guide my hips to rock better with his. His dick slipped out when I rocked forward to much, so he pulled me up by my hair. I was now kneeling the edge of my bed, his chest on my back, as he thrust upward into me. I could feel his heavy breathing on my neck and I really didn’t know how to feel about it. He wrapped his arm up and then around my throat, holding it gently, as if he was going to choke me. Honestly, he should’ve, because when his other hand ended up rubbing my clit, my eyes rolled so far into the back of my head I almost passed out. It was the best orgasm I had ever had, alone or with a person so I probably could’ve died right there. 

Mick figured out I was done and pulled out. He sat on the bed and grabbed me by my hair again. I needed to remind myself how much I loved being grabbed, it was honestly the hottest thing ever. He pushed my head down to meet his dick. I happily put that sucker right in my mouth. He did a great job, he totally deserved to cum in my mouth. So sure I was doing a decent job, and sure I had sucked a dick before, but right before Mick came, he pushed my head as far as it could go on his dick, making me deepthroat him. 

His cum hit the back of my throat and I gagged instantly, so his cum ended up all over him. I looked up at him, mortified. I mean if he wanted me to do that he could have asked. I didn’t like that he took it upon himself to shove my head down farther. I probably could’ve bit his dick off.

“What the fuck was that?!” I yelled, still gagging a little. 

“What? You don’t deepthroat or something?”

“No just-”

“Oh when you meant don’t cum inside, you meant any hole? My bad.” He didn’t even realize what he did wrong, but then again he didn’t know me well enough. That was the problem with random hook ups, they didn’t know your boundaries. I began to feel gross, like I needed a million showers.

“Get out.” 

“Wha-”

“MICK PLEASE, could you leave?” I tried to not yell at him. I didn’t want to see him anymore. I was mad at him, at myself, and at the fact that Danny would never have done that. Mick quickly put his clothes back on, and before I slammed the door in his face he said 

“Look sorry, I didn’t know.” And I knew he was right, but the second that door shut, I started crying. I needed a shower, and a hug, and maybe some pasta.


	9. Post Pasta

I couldn’t sleep. I was laying in my bed, in a giant sweatshirt rolled up in a blanket, completely unable to sleep. I had eaten so many buttered noodles, but I was still sad. I pretended Mick was Danny, I had sex with a co worker who I didn’t know very well, and although I loved it so much during, the aftermath was terrible. Also people should cuddle after rough sex. I guess that was my fault because I did kick him out, but I didn’t feel that connection with him. The only guy I had ever cuddled was Danny, but it was when we were camping and swore it was for warmth. Please, I rubbed my butt up against his crotch any chance I got in that tent. Danny, man did I miss Danny. 

The clock hit 3 am and I continued to remind myself of my favorite Danny memories. Our first flight together, our fake out make out in the park, our stupid note passing in class where he would make his hand invisible and plop it on my desk. I had kept some of those notes, to one day use as incriminating evidence. I picked up my phone and called Alexis. I needed her to tell me that me thinking about Danny was stupid and wrong and that I needed to get the fuck over him. She didn’t pick up. I groaned in frustration, I really needed someone to talk to. 

At 3 05, I decided to call Dani. The phone kept ringing for some time until she finally picked up. 

“Hello?” It was a slow and deep hello.

“HI Dani hey, look I know it’s late but I just needed to talk to someone about something.”

“Sorry, she’s sleeping.” The lower than Dani voice said, until I recognized it.

“Danny?” I knew that voice but I had to double check.

“Yeah she’s sleeping.” He said, not getting that I meant Danny as in Daniel.

“Um, c-could you um let her know I called?”

“Sure.” 

“Ok coolcoolcool night” I hovered my thumb above the end call button.

“Wait Sam?” Him saying my name made me puke in my mouth a little bit.

“Yeah?” I responded in the highest pitch, as if I was guilty of something.

“I didn’t do it.” And with that he hung up. I dropped my phone onto my bed and just stared at it in complete shock. FUCK man. I didn’t know if to scream, cry, vomit, or eat more noodles. So i did all four until I passed out on my bathroom floor. 

I woke up the next day with a puddle of drool next to me. Attractive. I got up and cleaned myself a bit. I checked the time on my phone and saw it was only 10 am. What I also saw was the fact that Dani had called me in the morning. I quickly recalled, and secretly hoped Danny would answer instead.

“SAM HI! WHy did you call me in the middle of the night?” she asked.

“Hey Dani, um I just needed some girl talk but-”

“I Cannot believe Danny answered my phone omg I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright.” I sounded like I was lying.

“Soo chat my ear off already!”

“Oh yeah, um so last night I uh-” she cut me off. 

“Wait Sam! Danny get out I’m talking to-” 

“Do you want anything from Nasty Burger? I’m flying over there now.” I heard Danny ask Dani. Fuck did I miss Nasty Burger. Danny too. 

“I’ll take some fries, thanks. Sorry about that Sam, what’s up?” But I was crying, yet again. 

“I miss you guys so much sometimes, it physically hurts me.” I cried into the phone. I was all alone in Seattle, staring out my window, realizing how far away my old life was. It took me a long time to make any sort of friends here, but they were nothing compared to the friendships I left back home. Even looking around my apartment did I miss my old bedroom, the one where I stayed up all night playing video games in, and where I had lost my virginity, and where I tried to give myself some bangs but ended up needing to go to the salon anyway. My old home was a place of comfort that I needed now. I had done stupid shit in Seattle, and maybe it was the city, but it was mostly me having a freedom that I didn’t want anymore. My friends, my family, they kept me from doing ridiculous shit. Alexis and Mick didn’t know me well enough to stop me from myself. I also can’t blame anyone but myself. I came to Seattle to try to find myself, but I lost more of myself. I wasn’t into alcohol, or drugs, or random sex. I was Sam fucking Manson, resident goth for Amity Park, who loved her friends, ate a shit ton of fries, and kicked some ghost butt time to time. 

Dani on the other side of the phone didn’t know how to respond. She had just seen me a couple of days ago and seemed fine. I wasn’t going to burden her with all the bullshit I pulled here in Seattle in the past 10 hours, so I said something I came to regret the second it exited my mouth. “Can I talk to Danny?”

“Um he left -” but she was cut off by Danny taking the phone.

“It’s me.” So he was there listening, that did brighten me up a little.

“I miss you,” was all I said before he hung up on me. Welp, that hurt.


	10. Decisions

I tried to look like I had my life together when I walked into work that evening. I worked again with Mick and Alexis. The second I saw Mick, I said hi and gave him a friendly smile, trying to show him that I was ok and that we were ok. I knew I was going to have to talk to him later about it. Alexis walked up behind me and smacked my shoulder. 

“What?” I asked her while rubbing the spot she had just hit. Her brown pony tail swung back and forth relentlessly.

“That was for calling me while I was getting dicked down, like how am I supposed to orgasm with you calling me?” I shuddered at that word.

“Gross, orgasm.”

“OMG have you never-”

“No! I do like everyday just orgasm makes it sound like its a big deal you know? But guys say cum or busted a nut like its a casual thing. Girls can casualize sex too.” 

“Hmm, ok so how am I supposed to bust a nut with you calling me?”

“Easy, look Johnny straight in the eyes and say my name!” and with that she hit me again in the same shoulder.

“Fuck you, now I might actually do that.” We laughed and started re-stalking the back. She didn’t ask me why I called her, she probably already knew anyway. I mean I did tell her my plans for that night. I brought up the idea of potentially going back to Amity Park and she said “Not to be that bitch, but follow your heart.” 

“You are always going to be that bitch,” I responded and smiled at her. I enjoyed her company and her realness, but she wasn’t Tucker, Dani and Danny. It would be asking too much of her to become three different people. It was then, during work, that I realized I needed them, more than they needed me. Tucker, my best buddy, who always had my back and tried to understand me. That one time he dressed up as me and went to my classes for me so I wouldn’t get in trouble. Who else would even consider doing that? Dani, my little growing woman, who looked up to me but also genuinely loved me. I loved her right back and considered her family. She was the little sister I didn’t know I needed. And of course there is Danny. I’m not even gonna talk about the decent dick part. His friendship was one of the purest things I had ever experienced. He was way too honest with me, come over to my house in the middle of the night if needed, and -

“Holy shit, I’m an idiot.” I said out loud. Of course Danny picked up Dani’s phone call in the middle of the night. It was almost an instinct. I would have incidents every couple of months or so where I wouldn’t be able to sleep, or I was sad, or I had to rant about something so I would call Danny. No matter what time, no matter where he was, he picked up the phone. Sometimes he would come over and comfort me, but usually he would just let me talk his ear off over the phone until I fell asleep. “I’m going back to Amity Park.”

“What brought you to that decision?” Alexis asked.

“He picked up the phone, he actually talked to me.” Alexis looked confused. I sighed deeply and said “Ok, so you can’t tell anyone but that guy that high fived me after sex was Danny Phantom, and I called his sister last night and instead he picked up and long story short I don’t think he hates me. Also I miss my friends so much. I wish you could meet everyone.” She stared blankly at me. 

“So, you fucked a ghost?”

“Yeah, I fucked a ghost, I like girls, guys and ghosts the three g’s.” I winked at her. 

“I didn’t think you could get any cooler.” She smiled at me and I laughed. 

“And now, I have officially fucked all three.”

“Which was the best?” She asked with genuine curiosity.

“100 percent girls, they kiss you after you nut on their face.” Alexis put her hand over her heart. 

“Aww cute!” 

We closed up at 10 o clock on the dot. I looked outside and saw rain cascading down, hitting the pavement with a loud “splat.” Such a graceful fall compared to its nasty landing. I chuckled at that, realizing that was what I was doing. I was falling, falling quick to my inevitable doom here in Seattle. I had run away from my life in Amity Park because I couldn’t deal with heartbreak, which in turn I would have lost myself. I never really dealt with all those emotions. Loud music, pasta, and ghosts were how I coped with it. But now, here I was standing looking at the rain smack the pavement, wishing I had stayed home. I wasn’t ready to face all of these shitty feelings, the rejection, and the headaches from the crying, but then again is anyone? Ever?  
“Hey Mick, can you drive me home?” I looked at my co worker, technically my supervisor for the night, casually. I needed to talk to him before I left. He agreed and we ran out of the store and into his car. Inside, we both sighed and looked at each other. There was a tense silence that I decided to break.

“I’m good, I freaked out, I’m good. Also I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too, and if you’re good, I’m good.” I smiled. That was easy, almost too easy, so I made sure to be very clear with him.

“That was just a one time thing, I used you to get over someone.”

“Yeah I figured. Alexis has Johnny anyway.” 

“Oh, no it wasn’t Alexis. Plus girls who wear high ponytails are straight 99% of the time.” I tried to joke. Joking was the only thing that made sense to me, because I really didn’t want to tell Mick who I was thinking of when we were doin’ it. 

That was the least romantic way of putting it really. I felt bad because he really didn’t mean much to me. He was like a bug I was too lazy to squish.

He dropped me off at my apartment and told me to take care. That’s what I planned on doing that night anyway. I got into my apartment, and got butt naked instantly. No need for slightly moistened clothes anyway. I ran myself a bath, threw in a bath bomb, and played some sad acoustic music. I wasn’t sad per say, but sad music calms me. I stayed in there long enough to turn into a prune. As I got out, I looked into my steam up mirror and noticed something different about me. A miniature smile was pasted on my face. My heart was ok, my head was ok, and I wasn’t home yet but I knew I was on my way there.

So Seattle was something I needed. I hit possibly my lowest low here, but I had some hope. Hope that Amity Park had missed me as much as I missed it. I picked up my phone, as I was still wrapped up in a towel, and called my mom. She answered instantly.

“Samantha!” my mom shrieked. 

“Hi mom, sorry for calling so late.”

“Oh no baby, that’s alright is there anything you need?” I knew I wasn’t asking for money but I still felt bad asking this.

“Can you come pick me up from Seattle, like tomorrow?” 

“Of course! I’ll buy you a ticket right-” but that’s not what I was asking.

“No, could you bring me home? I didn’t like flying alone” I said shyly. I missed my mom, and I didn’t want to say it. 

“Oh baby I-I don’t really know-”

“Oh thats ok I know you’re busy.”

“I love you Samantha, I’ll figure this out, and I’ll email you your ticket.”

“I love you too.” I hung up and started packing. I was going home.


	11. Going Home

I slept naked, because why would I want to pack anything in the morning? I had my outfit for the plane ride home layed out on top of my tightly zipped suitcase, and my boots neatly placed by the door. I rolled over to face the Seattle gloom, and stuck out my middle finger. It was oddly satisfying. My phone buzzed next to me, and I saw a text from Alexis that read “I’m miss you ghost fucker,” which made me reply “That was ONE TIME!” Let’s be honest though, I would’ve loved to fuck Danny in his ghost form. The body suit would be a little problematic at first, but the glowing green eyes and frosty hair really buttered my eggroll. 

I got dressed and doubled checked if I packed everything I needed. Anything else I was gonna ship back to Amity park separately. As I layed back down on my bed, a sudden knock on my door startled me. The only person who knew where I lived was Mick, and I really didn’t want to say goodbye to him face to face. I walked over to the door and slightly opened it. To my surprise, it wasn’t Mick who was standing right in front of me.

Tucker, my best buddy, my tech nerd, my video game partner, standing there is all his glory. He was wearing his big brown boots paired with black jeans and a mustard yellow, but something was missing. 

“Are you going to invite me in?” Tucker asked with a smile plastered on his face.

“Of course holy shit HI!” I pulled him inside and into a bear hug. I looked slightly up at him and pointed to his hair, which was standing straight up. “Where’s the hat?”

“You don’t like the hair?” 

“I love the hair, but I also loved that hat.”

“Don’t worry, I only have good hair days when I’m bringing my best friend back home.” I could have cried. My mom couldn’t come, so she got my best friend to come instead, what an amazing women. Sure didn’t always understand me, but it was partially my fault. I had some trouble expressing myself to other people.   
Seeing Tucker again was amazing. He seemed confident, and happy, and-

“So who’s the lucky lady?” I asked realizing only one reason why a boy would change his appearance and confidence. Relationships do that to you, they make you a better you. Tucker shook his head and told me I’d figure it out soon, and I trusted him. I felt that comfort and safety again, just by being next to him. On the plane ride back, I fell asleep leaning on Tucker, to keep a physical contact with him to make sure he wasn’t going anywhere.

A sudden guilt hit me when we drove into Amity Park borders. I had left for very selfish reasons, and now I was just expecting for everyone to be happy I was home? No thats shitty of me to have everything revolve around me. This guilt manifested most when I thought of Danny, and how I hadn’t told him the real reason I left. I should have told him, right after I slipped off his lap that night, that he meant so much to me.

Tucker and I were sitting in the backseat of an Uber, when I turned to him and said, “I had sex with Danny, that’s why I left.” Tucker already knew that but I needed him to hear it from me. 

“I know you’re like in love with him.”

“No, no you cannot use the word love in this situation.”

“Is love too strong of a word?”

I sighed. Love was a powerful meaningful word that I didn’t want to just throw around. “I don’t love him, I just like him enough to get drunk one night and tattoo his name on my ass.”

Tucker whipped his head around to look at me instead of the familiar streets we were riding on.

“You have Danny’s name engraved on your behind?”

“Well technically it’s just his symbol.” 

Tucker’s eyes widened and he looked down at my hips as if he was trying to activate his x ray vision. 

“Dude, I’ll show you later.” He smiled at me. I knew he always needed hard evidence to back up anything ever said. Tucker only believed in what he could see. Does that mean I’ll be showing him my ass later? Yup. 

When we pulled up to my house, my stomach twisted in on itself. I took a long pause before exiting the car, so Tucker took my luggage in for me. I inspected every inch of my surroundings to see if there where any traces of an invisible phantom flying around. It was useless in theory, but it comforted me to see nothing. I didn’t want to be bombarded today. My mind was focused on my giant mattress that held a dent right in the middle. That’s where I belonged, right there in that dent. 

I stepped out of the car and a familiar chill hit my spine. So maybe he was here? Or maybe just being back gave me that familiar feeling. Either way, I felt comfortable. It was something I had missed and maybe even feared back in Seattle, but nevertheless, the cold chill reminded me that I was alive and I wanted my life to be here. Home is where you don’t wanna die right?

I pushed open the double doors on my house to find the same open room as before. Nothing had changed. Even the note on the center piece table had the same writing on it. “Sorry we couldn’t be here Samantha, we love you,” signed Mom and Dad. Classic. I knew they had work obligations, so I never got angry at them. I set myself up for disappointment when I asked too much of my parents. I just hoped that them being home when I walked in was in their range. 

Tucker dragged all of my luggage up back into my room and threw himself on my bed. Laughing, I hit his arm and made him make room for me. It was my bed afterall. We were laying side by side, staring at the ceiling.

“I knew you’d come back.” Tucker said matter of factly.

“Fuck you dude, you didn’t think I’d make it on my own?”

“Oh no, just I knew you wouldn’t make it without us.” He turned his head to me and smiled.

“That’s the same thing!”

“No because it wasn’t about your ability to be alone, but your inability to stay away from us.”

“Who is the ‘us’ you keep talking about?”

“Tucker and Danny squared.” I pulled my eyebrows forward into a scowl. “Look, Sam, it’s ok. Whatever happened between you and Danny, can be fixed.”

“I don’t want it to be fixed I want it to have never happened.” I closed my eyes as my heart started beating faster. Just thinking about that night made me ride a rollercoaster of emotions.

“Oh, quit bitching, both of you.” I looked over at Tucker in total shock.

“Does Danny regret it too?” I ask quietly, because I didn’t want to know the real answer. Tucker looked over to me with sad eyes, almost puppy like.

“He doesn’t mean it, and neither do you.” 

“How do you know?” I crossed my arms and looked away from Tucker. Danny was bitching about losing his virginity to me? If it wasn’t for me he would still be carrying around that condom in his back pocket waiting for something to happen. I make things happen.

“You guys have been flirting with each other since you were 14, this was going to eventually happen. Sure, there was always someone you guys were interested in, like the whole Danny and Valerie thing,” I rolled my eyes hearing about that shitty time in my life again, “but you also had that one punk guy from a concert, and then Paulina!? By the way, I can’t believe you used that on Danny. Didn’t really take you for a freak.” He turned to me and smiled. I covered my face with my hands to hide my blushing. He wasn’t meant to know that about me but maybe having a friend to talk to about it wouldn’t be so bad? I knew it couldn’t be Dani. She was a little young, and laughed during awkward situations. 

“Ok, so you got me. I don’t regret anything with Danny.” I smiled right back at him.

“Good, good.” Tucker lingered in his silence a little too long. 

“What’s wrong?” My face had turned serious, Tucker never has nothing to say.

“Sam, um, I don’t even know if I should be telling you this?” I stared him straight in the eyes, I didn’t like not knowing things. 

“Danny, he, um, kinda, well not kinda he is, um-”

“Holy shit what?” My eyes couldn’t widen any further.

“He’s been sleeping around a lot.” I furrowed my eyes brows for a second realizing what that meant. Danny wasn’t interested in me specifically, he was interested in the act we had done in the basement. Wow, a teenage boy liking sex? You learn something new every day. I started laughing, knowing how ridiculous I was sounding in my head. I had sex with someone else too, and kissed Alexis. I’d been around as well. 

“What are you laughing at?” Tucker asked, almost scared at my reaction.

“Sorry, I know you meant to tell me like a secret but, like, sex is awesome, so I’m happy for him? I really don’t know what to say to that.”

“So that doesn’t bother you?”

“No!” In reality it did a little but I understood sleeping with someone for fun and if I was going to live back in Amity Park with my friends, I had to be cool with not ever being with Danny romantically. “Look, Tucker, I’ve had random hook ups too. I’m honestly ok.”

“Giirl, what chu been up to in Seattle?” I rolled over to my side and started talking his ear off. I told him about Alexis, and how I told her all my secrets in one single night of knowing her. I told him about how Dani visited and almost saw my tattoo. I even told him about my one night with Mick. I left out the part where I wished it was Danny for obvious reasons. 

“Let me see it! You promised!” Tucker whined like a little kid. Only Alexis saw my tattoo in full. I got off the bed and unbuttoned my pants. I pulled them down below my ass, and the procceded with doing the same with my underwear. I twisted my side to give Tucker the full view of my one and only tattoo.

“Holy shit!” Tucker started laughing so hard he rolled off the bed. When he got up, he had his phone in his hands and was taking multiple pictures. I quickly pulled my pants up.

“Dude, no! Delete those!” 

“Nope too late.” Too late? What did he mean too late? 

“You didn’t.”

“I’m sorry, I had to, thats histerical.” I lunged forward and grabbed his phone. He sent them to the one, the only, Dicky Possum.


	12. Nasty

After beating up Tucker with a pillow, we went out to Nasty Burger. Was I still mad? Yes, but I had been craving a burger from there since I left. We ordered, got our food, and sat at what used to be our usual booth. Truly nostolgic. Tucker set his phone on the table facing up, so when Dicky Possom texted something back, I snatched it up to see it first. Tucker didn’t stop me, he was too sore from before anyway.

I unlocked Tuckers phone and opened the text message. Danny had write a short and sweet reply. “Hot” HOT?! All the fucker wrote back to me getting his symbol tattooed on my ass?!

“What an ass.” I said as I put Tuckers phone down.

“He said that?”

“No, no. All he said was ‘hot’, as if I did it to turn his tiny wiener on.” Tucker almost spit out his food, and looked me dead in the eyes.

“Danny has a small dick?” He whispered, dead serious.

“No, no, well-”

“Actually, I don’t want to know.”

“Yea you do”

“I really do, I don’t know why.” I laughed at the confusion in his voice.

“I can’t give you measurements but, like it pleasantly surprised me,” 

“Hm, ok so should I try to have sex with a girl that he’s already gotten to or?”

“Dude yeah, go down on a girl and you’re dick size doesn’t even matter.”

“Sweet.” We smiled at each other and continued eating. It felt like nothing changed between us even though we were apart for months. That true friendship. 

“So when can I see him?” I asked. Tucker coughed awkwardly.

“He and Dani are currently in the Ghost Zone, uh, taking care of some business.”

“Do I want to know?”

“They just had to kick some ghost ass, and I needed to pick you up from Seattle so-”

“Wait! They aren’t done yet? Are they ok? Have you -”

“They’re fine, don’t worry they’re going to rest up in the cold ass place and come home tomorrow.” 

Tomorrow, I was going to finally face Danny. The plan was to be friends with him again, to try to feel at home again, but something in me was still angry, still hurt. 

We finished eating and walked back to my house. I asked Tucker to stay the night like I would with Danny if I was feeling lonely, but his parents weren’t thrilled with the idea. I was back home alone, staring out of my window, seeing the night sky twinkle at me. I kicked off my boots and jeans, unhooked my bra and threw it on the floor. I layed in the center of my bed, while scrolling through old photos. The oldest picture I had was from a year ago. It was a photo of me stitching in the Danny Phantom patch into Tucker’s beret while it was still on his head. I remember he had a bad hair day and wouldn’t let me take his hat off fully. I was wearing my black jean jacket, with the logo already stitched onto the back. Danny had taken the photo at the perfect moment when I was laughing and Tucker was pouting. The next photo was taken a couple of days later, and it was a simple one of me and Danny. We were sitting at Nasty Burger, right next to each other and both of us had the straws of our drinks in our mouths. We must have done it in-sync which made Tucker take my phone and snap a photo. My facial expression showed irritation while Danny’s was a mix of puppy dog confusion and a slight blush. He didn’t like photos of him as Danny Fenton, only as the Phantom. He was wearing a faded red zip up hoodie over his favorite white T shirt, while I stayed true to my all black attire featuring that same jean jacket. 

I stared at that photo for too long of a time. It was already late, but something in me made me overanalyze the photo. By the photo I mean Danny. The way his hair swooped messily into his face, the way his red sweater hugged his broad shoulders, and even the way his eyelashes coated his eyelid, framing his blue eyes like two beautiful paintings I could stare at all day. I had fallen for those eyes and I began craving to dive deep into them that night.

In my contacts, I scrolled down to “GhostBoi.” I hovered my thumb over the call button for an eternity before I quickly pressed it and put the phone on speaker. Conversations on speaker were always more casual anyway. 

“Sam?” A rather raspy voice answered. I had woken him up.

“Shit Danny, sorry you should go back to bed”

“Well, you should be sleeping too.” I smiled, he was conversing with me.

“Look, I know you’re in the Ghost Zone and all-”

“No I’m home.”

“Oh Tucker told me-”

“Tucker’s a bad source of information.” That made me wonder about the other things Tucker talked about.

“C-can you come over?” I didn’t mean for my voice to shake, but it did and I was vulnerable again. 

“Give me a minute.” And then he hung up.


	13. Ghost Boi

I quickly put on an oversized sweatshirt over my tiny t shirt to cover my butt and nipples. I didn’t want him thinking I was trying to have sex with him again, but was I open to it? Of course. I jumped back into bed and tried to look natural. That’s when I felt a cold chill roll down my spine. I looked around my dark room to try and find Danny.

“Scooch over.” A raspy voice said from my left. I did as I was told and looked over at him. Danny was in a black T shirt with the sleeves cut off and some baggy sweatpants. His hair was messy, covering half of his face, leaving only one bright blue eye to look into. He lifted the covers and plopped onto my bed, as if it was second nature to him. He made himself comfortable and closed his eyes. He let out a deep breath, as I continued to stare at him. 

“Can we talk tomorrow? Right now I just want to sleep.” He said with his eyes still closed. I nodded and settled in to the other side of my bed, making sure not to touch any part of Danny. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the heat of another body sleeping next to me. Danny was facing my back and I heard a deep sigh emerge from his throat. Suddenly, an arm wraps around my waist, and pulls me toward them. I stay frozen, unsure of what’s actually going on. Danny had adjusted his body to fit into mine, with an arm around my waist and his cold nose pressed the back of my head. We were spooning. I slowly released a breathe I didn’t know I was holding and eased into Danny’s chest. I went to sleep with the comfort of knowing I wasn’t alone.

Although, I did wake up alone. My eyes searched every corner of my room to try and spot Danny, but he vanished. I placed a hand onto the indent of the pillow beside me. It was the only indication that he was there last night. My head rolled into Danny’s pillow and instantly smelled the face wash I bought him for his birthday. I felt creepy knowing that, so I got up and looked myself in the mirror. I had a small smile pasted to my face, while my short black hair looked like the tall grasses in Africa, probably disguising a meerkat from its predator. I looked like a mess, but a happy mess.

My happiness stemmed from Danny, and his ability to make me content. He puts an arm around me and all my worries fade, he looks into my eyes and somehow nothing around me matters, and when he smiles at me from across the room, I pretty much die. Getting over him is going to be tough, but I’d do anything to save our friendship.

After performing my minimalistic morning routine, I ran downstairs to find something to eat. I slid across my tiled floors, believing I was alone, right into the island counter, bruising my hip. I grabbed my hip and hissed loudly. I was too focused on the pain to realize Danny was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the basement. His muffled laughter signaled me to turn and scowl at him. He hadn’t left that morning, he just woke up before me. 

“You good?” he asked, echoing that one night. 

“Yeah, yeah um you’re still here?” The pain had subsided enough for me to walk over to the refrigerator. 

“There is some stuff-” 

“Stuff?” I cut him off because no he didn’t want to talk about stuff, he wanted to talk about us, and what we were, and he was going to break my heart all over again. He took a deep breathe before walking over to the island and slipping onto a stool. 

“You left.” He said looking down into his folded hands.

“Yes, and now I’m back,” I responded, confused on where he was going to take this conversation.

“We had sex.” That one made my eyebrows hit my hairline.

“Y-yes” I stuttered. I wasn’t ready for that statement in the morning. 

“You hurt me.” He looked up to meet my eyes. WHile his radiated sadness, mine darkened. 

“You hurt me.” I repeated back to him. Did I initiate everything yes, but he didn’t reciprocate anything. I made the first move, he should’ve made the second. A high five is not reciprocating feelings. 

“You fucked me and left.”

“You fucked me and left that night too.”

“What the fuck was I supposed to do?” Now I was actually angry.

“Not high five me?!” Danny pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes. He rubbed his eyes in circular motions, making them bigger each time around, until he rubbed his whole face red. I leaned back into the counter and crossed my arms, awaiting a response. He looked at me emotionless. 

“I never thanked you for that voicemail.” His voice was soft.

“You don’t have too.” I tried to meet his softness. He got up and slowly walked toward me, his arms widening to hug me. I met him halfway and hugged him, letting him nuzzle his face into my shoulder. The hug lasted excruciatingly long, but letting go felt worse. 

“I’m sorry I left.”


	14. Pups and sunshine

Although we didn’t fully resolve our conflict, Danny and I managed to catch up properly. Vlad had continually been a pain in his ass while I was gone, so Tucker was left to defend the rest of the town on his own. It explained why they never texted.

“So I know you’re back in Amity park, but are you back on team Phantom?” Danny asked, worry covering his face. I looked away from him to consider my options.

“Well, I did brand myself for life and I do miss the adrenaline rush, but I still need to figure myself out.”

“That tat wasn’t real right?” I pulled up at my underwear to reveal my tattoo to Danny. He walked over and tried touching it before I smacked his and away.

“Trust me it’s real.” Both of our faces flushed letting me know both of us were a little embarrassed.

“Can I ask why?”

“Well I wanted something I’d regret-”

“Regret? Why?”

“I wanted to be reckless I guess.”

“I mean, why would my symbol be a tattoo you would regret?” I froze up. There was no way I could talk to him about this without hurting his feelings, and we had just gotten on the same page. I looked up at him, noticing his unflattering stare, and I shrugged.

“Well many people correlate DP to porn. I don’t want people thinking I’m into that.” Danny smiled at me, which let me know he wasn’t going to push the topic any further. “Anyway, it seems that I’m a part of this team for life, but maybe-”

“Part time?” Danny suggested.

“Part time.” I agreed. He stuck out his hand as if this was a sketchy business deal, and I happily shook his hand. Suddenly, a blue tinted cold breathe escaped Danny’s mouth. He looked at me with sorry eyes and I nodded, silently acknowledging his need to leave. In a flash of white light, Danny turned into his phantom form and flew up and out through my roof. 

I took this time to get ready for the day, even though I had nothing planned. I figured I could take a walk around the park, and maybe something would come to me. Just as my leather boot hit the pavement, a cold wind smacked my bare arms, forcing me to grab a jacket. After my discussion with Danny, I felt comfortable enough to grab my old favorite black jean jacket. Plus, I was now in an area where I wouldn’t have to explain myself constantly. DP, Danny Phantom, the ghost kid who saves people isn’t as well known as he hoped outside of Amity Park and its suburbs. 

I shoved my headphones into my ears and pressed play on my “Angry Walk” playlist. I wasn’t angry, but the beats of these songs matched well to the rhythm of my heavy boots colliding with the sidewalk. The sun hit the back of my head, ruining the darkness of my hair. Sun bleaching was totally a thing. I walked past and empty playground, seeing the swings swaying in the wind by themselves. They looked lonely, so I walked over and plopped down on the middle swing. No parent would let their kid come near a teenager dressed in all black, swinging by herself on a cold day. To put it lightly, I looked sketchy. If this was Seattle, I wouldn’t.

Thinking of Seattle, my mind wandered to Alexis. I unlocked my phone and called her, because texting takes too much time.

“Hello, Hello, Hello!” Alexis answered as cheery as ever.

“Hey wanna come live with me?” I asked jokingly. I did miss her. She brought out the wild in me. 

“If my career here doesn’t work out I’ll let you know.” I looked around me and giggled into my headphones. I was staring at the the high and mighty American Basswood trees that lay scattered across the park, casting shadows on patches of emerald green grass. It contrasted the light bouncing off the brand new metal railings from the monkey bars. Something about Amity Park smelled cleaner, better than Seattle. 

“Well, I miss you, not Seattle.”

“Yeah, Yeah, but did you and Ghost boy-” I cut her off.

“Make up? Kinda, but not in the way you would hope.”

“Oh gross, are you guys just friends now?”

“I think so.”

“Lame, I was hoping for some nasty ghost plasm covered story.”

“Sorry to disappoint.” 

“But for real, I’m really happy for you even though you totes should have stayed in Seattle, but whatever, um but if you want ghost dick, GO GET IT.”

“Listening to you hasn’t led me to the best decisions in my life..”

“So you do want it huh?” Shit, she saw right through me again, just like the first night she ever laid eyes on me. 

“Ok can I be very out of character for a moment with you?” I ask because what was about to come out of my mouth was going to be straight up girl talk you did in high school bathrooms. 

“Of course, no judgments here.” She didn’t have to say it, but it was much appreciated. 

“He makes me feel-,” I paused knowing how stereotypical I was going to sound so I said it fast, “Like mushy in my heart, and butterflies in my stomach, and my face gets super red around him. And I’m just so comfortable with him? Like I sleep next to him and I feel complete? Or content would be a better word to use, because I don’t need no ghostie.”

“Aww so you still have a crush on him?” Fuck I hated the term crush, it made it seem so juvenile when in reality, Danny was more than that. 

“No, it’s just kinda like I want to be as important to him as he is to me.” 

“I know, and that can suck. That’s why I stick with Johnny and I don’t get hurt.”

“Need me a ghosty like that.” I said trying to match my previous lingo. 

We talked more about minor life events that happened since I left, but nothing really stuck. I watched the sun shift across the sky, letting me know it was afternoon now. I ended my phone call with Alexis and decided to keep walking. 

I became a tourist of my own town, reacting to old things as if they were new to me. Maybe it was because I saw them in a new light, but overall I missed the towns quirks. How the 20 blocks around the Nasty Burger smelled like french fries, how the modern coffee shops clashed with the old style brick buildings, and of course, how Fenton Works stuck out like a sore thumb. I walked down a familiar main road, which led me to Recked Records, my favorite record store. Looking through the window, I noticed it was super busy, so I looked for place close to waste time. A neon dog sign caught my attention. I walked over to it realizing it was a doggy daycare. Never really paying attention to the facility before, I walked in. 

The front desk was tall and spanned the entirety of the front. Behind it, there were little play pens with puppies inside. A women with short brown curly hair greeted me with a smile.

“Hi, Can I help you?”

“Um, Sorry I thought maybe I could play with some puppies or something?” 

“You know what, we have some puppies back here let me just check with a manager.” She walked into the back. I looked over the counter to see one empty playpen, and another with two little puppies, both sitting and staring at each other. One was a baby german Shepard, while the other was a unknown mutt, with golden brown fur all over.

“Sam?” I look up to see the curly hair woman leading Danny over to me.

“Hi what are you doing here?” I ask realizing quickly it was a stupid question. He was wearing jeans and a grey sweatshirt with the neon puppy logo on it.

“Oh yeah I work here, come on back!” He opened the gate for me.

“And you’re the manager?” 

“No way, just currently in charge.” He flashed me a confident smile. “I’ve been here for about 3 months now.” He led me over to the puppy pen. “Our baby german shepard’s name is Tut, like King Tut. He needs help peeing and pooping on his own but he loves to play. Cleo is a norwegian mix. Her back legs bend the wrong way, but she doesn’t let that stop her from running around like a maniac.” He reached his hand and both Tut and Cleo licked it. “You can sit in there with them.” 

“You sure?”

“Yeah, they’ll love you.” I slowly swung my leg over into the pen and let Tut and Cleo sniff me. As soon as they’re tails started wagging, I edged in more making sure to not be making any sudden movements. I didn’t want to scare them in any way. While Cleo ran in between my legs, Tut stretched up onto my knee and let me pet the top of his head. They were soft in in different ways. Tut was a fluffy soft, like those pillows your mom buys you that she thinks are “cool and trendy” while Cleo was a sleek soft, her short hair feeling like silk. I looked up and saw Danny had disappeared and I was left alone with the two cutest things I had ever seen. 

I sat down in a corner of the pen and pet both pups with both hands. Humans were created with two hands for a reason, and it had felt like I figured it out. Two hands, Two puppies. Perfection. Cleo loved having her butt rubbed. What girl didn’t. Tut grabbed a toy and we played tug of war. Soon both pups laid down next to my legs and napped. I took out my phone and saw that half an hour had past. The girl at the front desk had been flooded with phone calls the whole time. Danny had been running around, back and forth between the older dogs from the daycare to the dogs in the kennel to walking some dogs outside. I was thinking about leaving, now that Cleo and Tut were sleeping, but Danny calling for me stopped me. 

“Hey Sam! Can you come back here?”

“Um where is ‘here’?” I stood up slowly, making sure the puppies remain undisturbed. 

Danny’s head popped out from the back corridor, and I rushed over to him. I walked behind him into a different area were at least 10 different adults dogs were all playing with each other.

“This is the main area for the dogs to play in, so if you would like to keep playing with them you can. I saw Tut and Cleo were worn out on the cameras.” He stepped in to the area and instantly two big fluffy dogs ran up to him with toys in their mouths. Danny grabbed a string toy and gave the command to drop it, and then he threw the toy as far as he could. Both dogs sped off after the rope. 

“This seems like the best place to work.”

“Eh, the dogs make up for the shitty owners.” He sat down and let a bulldog run up to him. Danny rubbed the dogs face in between both his hands. “Hello Mojo, are you having fun with your friends?” Mojo the bulldog wagged his butt because his tail was but a nub. Danny looked up at me. “Mojo here had giardia, a poop parasite dogs get, so this is his first day back.” 

“What a good boy!” I walked into the pen and sat down next to Danny. I pet Mojo and another dog ran up to me. She was a brindles brown and white beauty who pranced more than ran over. She jumped on me, giving me kisses all over my face.

“Addie, No!” Danny used a stern loud voice, not quiet shouting. Addie didn’t listen. Danny’s blue eyes flashed green as he repeated himself slowler. “Addie, Off!” This time she listened. She sat right in front of me and waited patiently for me to pet her. 

“Good girl!” I praised Addie for her obedience. 

“She still doesn’t listen.”

“Well she listens to you, or ghost you.”

“I know, I feel bad because she is a good girl but she doesn’t know how big she is. She weighs 85 pounds and her parents are idiots.” His brows were pulled together, hiding the passion in his eyes. He really cared for Addie.

“What do you mean?” I asked him, realizing he needed to vent. 

“Addie’s parents leave her here everyday, even on weekends. They had a baby and totally forget about Addie.” Addie had walked over to Danny and laid next to him, letting her head rest on his knee. “She’s like the coolest pup here! She can jump up onto my managers desk without a problem, run super fast, and when in her crate she is the sweetest girl.” 

“Aww Addie!” I reached over and pet her head, making Addie close her eyes.

“She will play with other dogs, but she prefers humans.”

“Or half humans have ghosts?” Half of Danny's mouth curled up into a smile.

“Yeah, maybe.” Other than paws hitting the plastic grass, and toys squeaking, there was a comfortable silence between Danny and I.

“Sam?” I looked over to Danny, his expression had changed drastically. His eyes were glossy, and his cheeks were a light pink

“Hm?”

“You and Addie stopped me from splitting myself. I was having a rough patch in my life, feeling like I was going anywhere, and losing important people around me. Jazz went to London to study abroad, and you went to Seattle. My parents are still currently traveling around hunting ghosts outside of Amity Park so I’ve been alone. Tucker tried to keep me at bay, but its unfair to have one person take on the role of multiple people. I started doing some more stupid and reckless stuff. By the way, Danny Phantom is also not a virgin anymore.” I slapped his arm in total shock.

“You fucked as a ghost?”

“Girls are into Phantom more than Fenton.”

“But the jumpsuit-”

“Zipper still works.” We locked eyes. I felt mine open in surprise while his remained cold.

“So..” I drew it out, because I wanted to ask the next question but I didn’t want it to hurt our friendship. “How many girls got a taste of the Phantom?” His eyes furrowed deeper, as if he was thinking but also angry at the question. 

“Did you fuck other people?” 

“Yes, one guy, Mick.” He groaned, knowing that he had to say his number because I opened up with mine. 

“Like 5? I don’t remember names, other than like Paulina.”

“Dude! Paulina?” He awkwardly laughed and covered his face with his hand.

“Yeah, um, only once though.”

“What!? How in the hell only once, she is a sex wizard.” I comment back. 

“I wasn’t feeling it?” 

“Explain!” He rolled onto his side, getting more embarrassed by the minute. 

“She just- ugh- like- didn’t, well we just didn’t-”

“Say it!”

“She brought you up! Like while I was inside of her?”

“No fucking way!” I was proud of myself to have effected Paulina in such a way.

“Yeah it kinda sucked.” His shoulders dropped as he sat back up from his side. He stared into his open palms. “I was trying to forget about you, and there she was, reminding me of you.” I threw an arm around Danny’s back, trying to comfort him. 

“We’re idiots.” I said after a long silent moment.

“Hm?” Danny turned to me confused.

“Both of us tried to forget about each other with shitty hook ups and they didn’t work.”

“What, did ‘Mick’ look like me?” 

“No, just I couldn’t see his face half the time so I imagined yours instead.” Danny’s eyebrows relaxed as he looked at me. We were both sharing some real secrets and maybe that's what we needed to move forward. 

“Did we both like each other, but both of us were too scared to admit it?” He asked me, even though he already knew the answer.

“Yup, both of us, total pussies.” He gently laughed and I brought up my arm from his back up into his hair. He relaxed under my touch and we sat there silently. Even with all the dogs around, my favorite thing to pet was Danny’s hair. When I finally stopped playing with his hair, he turned to me.

“You should stop by here tomorrow, the puppies seemed to love you.”

“Is that the only reason I should stop by?”

“No.” He left it at that, and I smiled at him. We got up and he walked me out of the Doggy Daycare. I walked home with dog hair clinging to my black jeans and a new pep in my step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to post more regularly but a girl works and goes to school pls have patience !


	15. Wow, Loser.

Although my bed felt great in the morning, I knew Tut and Cleo were waiting for me at the doggy daycare. I sat up and stretched, letting a yawn out as my arms reached their full length above my head. I checked the time on my phone, seeing it was 9 am. I had stayed up the night before watching puppy videos and scrolling through the doggy day care website. On it, there were many photos of the staff playing with puppies that seemed to be regularly updated. I found Danny playing with Addie on the home page, making me dive deep into photos from the past 3 months. There was a photo I secretly saved onto my phone. It was Danny holding a baby Cleo against his cheek and smiling. Danny had grown a patchy beard and Cleo seemed to be rubbing against it. I didn’t know who I wanted to be more, Danny or Cleo. 

The website seemed professionally done, making me wonder if they recruited Tucker to create it. It was colorful and playful, with the mouse cruiser turning into a yellow tennis ball. Looking just at the home page, I noticed that it was a small family business that really cared about the well being of these dogs. They also have connections with a local animal rescue, which is where Tut and Cleo are from. Many puppies with disabilities end up at the doggy day care, giving them the best chance to get adopted and have the best care. 

Looking at Tut and Cleo, my heart was either full of joy or sorrow. I loved them, and knew they deserved the world, but I also knew they weren’t going to be easily adopted. Hopefully my coming over to play with them was going to cheer them up a little bit. I got out of my bed and decided against putting on any black jeans. I settled for light blue ones with rips in the knees. I paired it with a white tank top and a black and grey oversized flannel. I laced up my boots and threw my wallet, keys, and phone into an old tan satchel. The sun hit my pasty skin with a warmth that felt unwelcome. My pace was quick, wanting to get to starbucks to get some coffee asap so I had the most time with Tut and Cleo and Danny. 

Before walking into the doggy day care, I texted Danny, asking if he was there already. A flash of light came from behind a trashcan in the alley next to the daycare. Danny walked out from behind it, wearing the same thing as yesterday, his face dull and hair messy.

“Come on in.” He walked over to the front door and opened it for me. The same curly haired girl was working the front desk. She was on a phone call but still threw a smile my way. I walked behind the desk and handed my half drunk coffee to Danny.

“You look like you need it more than I do.” He had bags under his eyes and something resembling a 5 o'clock shadow was taped to his face. He thanked me and walked into the back, while I walked over to Tut and Cleo. They’re tails were wagging rapidly, making me hurry into the play pen.

“Babies! How are you? I missed you!” I exclaimed in a semi baby voice, exciting them more. I sat in the same corner as before and pet each pup the same amount, trying not to show favoritism. Tut brought over a ball and I began to throw it lightly, making sure it didn’t leave the pen. Cleo kept rubbing against me, wanting to be pet more and more. It felt like heaven, giving love and being loved by these puppies. 

“Sorry, I forgot your name.” The girl at the front desk said, making me look up at her. She was cute with her perfectly smooth skin and her button nose. 

“I’m Sam,”

“Hey, I’m Cassandra.”

“Nice to meet you.” I say and go back to playing with the puppies, but I could still feel Cassandra’s stare. I looked back up to make sure I wasn’t imagining things. 

“Sorry um-” she paused, but continued to stare at me.

“What’s up?”

“So, you and Danny?” My eyebrows pulled together because I knew what she was asking but I really didn’t need a stranger in my business.

“I’m just here for the pups.” I say, slightly lying. They were 66% of the reason I was here. 

“I didn’t mean to pry just-”

“But you are.”

“I’m sorry?”

“You didn’t mean to pry but it’s what you’re doing.” All of a sudden, I didn’t like this girl. 

“No I’m not-”

“I don’t want to argue with you here so just what do you want to know.” She hesitated, but I figured her out before she even said it.

“Is Danny single?” She asked shyly, now making me look like an asshole. I rolled my eyes, because of course the second I come back into his life, another sweet and pretty girl could have him. 

“Yes he is, but I’m interested as well.” She nodded and turned back around to the desk. I felt my phone buzz in my satchel. I saw GhostBoi sent me a text. 

_Hey everything ok?_

_Yeah why?_ I didn’t want him to know the conversation I just had with Cassandra. If she liked him, it wasn’t my right to tell him. 

_I saw your eyeroll on camera, just making sure I don’t have a cat fight in the dog house._

_Don’t worry about it_

_I still will_

I smiled down at my phone, realizing how well Danny knew me. I didn’t want to compete for him, especially with a cutie like Cassandra. Since his major crush on Paulina, Danny seemed to have a type. Curly haired latinas. Even Valerie was part dominican. My white ass was nervous to say the least.  
Things felt like they were back to normal, which was unfortunate. The normal I’m referring too is back to when we were 15 and he pined for girls out of his league while I stood right next to him. But Danny wasn’t pining over her at all. It was all in my head, my mildly insecure head. Thoughts raced through my head, questioning why he hadn’t asked me out yet, or why he had slept with more people that I did in our time apart. I got back down to earth knowing I was overthinking, but I couldn’t help it. I stopped petting Cleo and pulled my phone back out.  
_Hey so I’m a wuss, anyway I like you, here is me telling you over text._  
I needed to be clear with him but more myself, I didn’t want to run away to Seattle again to try and deal with my feelings. I was going to sit here in this play pen full of puppies, the calmest place on the Earth, and hope for the best. It took excruciatingly long to get a buzz back.  
_Wow loser, what's next you gonna tell you want to go out with me saturday night at 7?_  
I looked up into the security camera and threw up my middle finger, assuming he was watching my reaction. My phone buzzed again.  
_I’ll take that as a yes_  
I pet the puppies at full fury, getting each belly, each behind the ear, each butt equally and thoroughly pet. It was their small reward for giving me the courage to tell Danny how I felt. It was getting busy and late, so I didn’t want to interrupt Danny. I texted Danny telling him I was leaving, and he peeked his head out from the back real quick to yell out “Bye Sam, see you Saturday!” I kissed the top of Tuts and Cleos heads and hopped out of the play pen. I waved bye to Cassandra, who was on a phone call and left the building, as I was walking out the front door, smiling like a little school girl.  
Honestly, the rest of the day was me prepping and waiting for saturday. I was thinking of what to wear, how to do my hair, make up etc. I needed another girl to get hyped with, because all Tucker said was “Cool” when I texted him the big news. I needed Dani, but I had no idea where she was. I figured it didn’t hurt to check if she was around town.

_Hey Dani, are you around my place and would wanna come over?_

I decided to shower, shaving my armpits in the first time since Seattle. Then it hit me, I might be getting some action from Danny. When I got out, I ran to my phone and scheduled a wax for tonight. Although he’s already seen my crotch at not it’s best, I still prefer my legs and inner thighs to be waxed right. My phone vibrated in my hands.

_Hey I’m actually around right now petting puppies what’s up?_ I smiled, knowing she was hanging out with Tut and Cleo. 

_Wanna come get waxed with me?_

_You payin?_

_Yup_

_I’ll pick you up in 20 :)_

A warmth radiated through my body, knowing things were going good again.


	16. Pain

“Ow!” Dani screamed as Rosie, our wax girl, pulled a strip of hair off of Danis calf. She was getting her legs waxed, while I had decided to get everything done from the waist down. I held Dani’s hand in her first experience ever.

“You have to breath, it hurts less when you relax.” She turned her head to me and her blue eye glowed green in anger. “Hey be mad at Rosie not me.” Rosie chuckled as she laid more wax onto Dani’s muscular legs. 

“Rosie, please be gentle.” Dani pleaded with Rosie, not knowing this pain was inevitable.

“How about we take a break after this strip? I’ll start on Sam?” Rosie asked sweetly. Dani nodded furiously, loving the idea. “Okay, 1, 2, 3!” Rosie rips off the last strip strategically, and rubbing the spot after with her other hand. Dani’s eye watered but didn’t complain this time.

I took Dani’s place on the table, taking off my pants.

“Hey Dani, could you step outside for like 5 minutes while she does my privates.” 

“Yeah, but I’ll be listening to your torture right outside that door.” Dani walked out, almost limping, exaggerating her pain. 

“Who’s the lucky person?” I looked up from my position on the table, naked from the waist down.

“I’ll tell you if I come back in a month.”

“Ah, something fresh, still blossoming.”

“Yeah, been blossoming for years now.” I heard a gasp from outside the door.

“No way!” I heard Dani shout.

“Whoops,” I whisper to Rosie, forgetting Dani was planning on listening in. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you butt!” Dani shouted towards the door. 

“Sorry!” I looked at a confused Rosie and explained, “She’s uh related to the ‘lucky guy’.”

Rosie started laughing and faced the door. “I’ll torture her enough for you!”

“Rosie, you sweetheart!” Dani yelled back. 

Pain, all I felt was pain. A burning sensation followed, and my god, I should just get lasered. Dani laughed at my shrieks and groans from outside the room, knowing what I was going through was all cosmetic.

We thanked Rosie and walked out of the waxing center, both walking a little weird. Avoiding the the topic of my date, we discussed me being back home and Tut and Cleo. Dani had found out someone was able to foster the puppies. Although I was happy for them, I would miss petting them everyday. I really needed to get another job or sign up for classes because this life without ghost fighting was lame. I had never thought of it as special, but I began missing it. 

“Can we leave the boys behind and be an all girl ghost fighting team?” I jokingly asked Dani as we arrived at my house. 

“They aren’t after me though, it’s all Danny.” 

“Don’t you have the same powers as him?” 

“That’s the thing about Danny, he wants me to go out there, enjoy my minimal humanity, and I honestly think he is sacrificing his own.” I sat down on my front porch stairs, realizing how right Dani was. She continued, “Look, Danny tries to remain human. I mean he got a job, eats burgers, plays video games if he can, but I hate standing by when he’s exhausted. He doesn’t have time to be human anymore and it pisses me off that I can’t help him.”

“Well you can, right? It just he won’t let you.”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m here today. Tucker let me know how bad of a night he had.”

“Tucker? Texting you? He didn’t text me.” I looked at her, checked her out. 

“Shut up, no one knows who his girl is ok? And I can tell you right now it’s not me.”

“Why won’t he tell anybody!” 

“Anyway! I was talking about Danny and I need to tell you this.” Dani had gotten serious, a rare sight. I froze and stared, waiting to absorb all the information. 

“Danny wanted to split himself, become full ghost and just take care of the town. He didn’t listen to me, or Tucker, or Jazz. Right when he heard you tell him no, he broke down. Not like in a bad way though. I think he realized that constantly fighting isn’t living. When he’s with you, he’s living, feeling, smiling. Just remember that before you leave again.” 

“Fuck that’s pressure, but I do care about him, like a lot.” 

“I know, I know. I’m only telling you because I care about him too.”

“So..” I assessed the emotions around me to make sure it was ok to start joking, “ I gotta suck the death out of him instead?” It wasn’t a great joke, but I needed to release the tension. Dani looked over to me, rolled her eyes, and bumped my shoulder.

“It’s weird.” I looked over to her. She was sitting on the step above mine staring up at the dimming sky.

“What is?”

“No offence, but you don’t look like you’d be the person to give life back to people. All black, barely smiles-”

“False, I smile all the time! Look!” I showed her my cheesiest grin which received another eye roll. 

“Yeah, you’re perfect for Danny.” It was my turn to gently slap her shoulder.

“Nothing’s ever perfect.” That’s when Dani’s ghost sense escaped her lips. 

“Gotta go!” She shouted as she jumped off my stairs. 

“Wait!” She turned back to me. “You need an extra hand?” She smiled at me.

“Come on.” I ran down to her and she grabbed me. We flew through the air back to my old high school, see Danny already on the defence.


	17. She's Back

I collapsed against a tree trunk, Fenton thermos in hand, capping it with the vicious ghost inside. My cheeks pulled upright against my better knowledge into a smile. All of a sudden, I was 14 again. 

“Sam!” Danny yelled, running up to me back in his human body. Sweat soaked his forehead, making his jet black hair stick to it. He stopped right in front of me and crouched down, meeting me face to face. I was brought back to reality seeing Dannys 5 o clock shadow. Without thinking, I reached up to graze his chin. 

“You’ve got a puppy on your face.”

“Oh no, you're delusional! Tucker!”

“Shut up, I like the beard.” Laughing, I pushed him off his toes making him fall onto his butt. I tried to stand up straight, but a sharp pain stopped me halfway. “Oh god, I’m getting old.”

“Are you hurt?” Danny asked, as Dani flew in with Tucker. They surrounded me, all awaiting my response. I checked myself out all over, only seeing a small scrape on my forearm. 

“I’m good, just really need to exercise more.” Tucker closed the space between us and wrapped his arms around me. 

“She’s back! She’s really back!” I laughed into his chest and felt more arms engulf me. A pang of annoyance hit me, but it quickly washed away with the overwhelming sensation of guilt. I left the people that truly loved me for a reason that didn’t matter at that moment. My eyes began to water right as everyone let go. Danny noticed instantly  
.  
“Good work guys, I’ll take Sam home.” Quickly, he scooped me up bridal style and flew me quickly back into my room. I was trying not to cry. I knew my place was always here and it took me leaving to figure it out. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Shut up.” Danny whispered softly.

He walked me over to my bed and we sat down side by side. His arm wrapped around my waist, and I felt secure enough to lay my head on his shoulder.

“I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

“You needed to go, its ok to be selfish sometimes.” My head snapped up to look Danny in the eyes.

“Selfish?” A deep hollow sensation set into the pit of my stomach. 

“You said it yourself that day. You needed to go.”

“And you didn’t want me too.”

“Sam-”

“And I left you guys, to fight with one less body, and you had to pick up the slack.”

“Its okay, you’re here now.” Danny pulled me into his chest, hugging me tight. We sat there for a couple of minutes, until Danny kissed the top of my head. I let go to look up at him and smile. 

“I guess I secretly knew I place was here with you guys. I mean I got the ass tattoo to prove it.” Danny chuckled and looked away, his cheeks heating up in a slight blush. “Wanna see it again?” I asked innocently. 

“Um- maybe tomorrow yeah?” He rubbed his palms on his thighs a couple of times and got up. “I got to work an overnight shift tonight, but we are still on for 7 o’clock tomorrow right?” 

It was my turn to blush, totally forgetting about our date tomorrow. “Yeah, yeah, go shower. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“Cool, cool, um-” Danny stood up and looked around the room for a second. Before I could say anything, Danny dipped down to my level and kissed my cheek. “Goodnight.” He whispered and then disappeared out of my window. 

I raised a hand up to my cheek as if I could cage in the feeling of his lips there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its so short but I'll make up for it with the next upload!


	18. Cheesecake

I paced in my room, my feet flattening out the carpet beneath me. Danny was late, and not like cute late. It was the type of late that made me panic. Did he have to go into the ghost zone? Or am I being stood up? Both have equally possible. I thanked the lord I didn’t believe in for fishnet stockings because without them, I would’ve already been chafing. My tiny black dress rode up my thighs as I settled down onto my bed with a sigh. 30 minutes now, and no text. I began untying my boots, realizing he wasn’t showing and my feet were hurting. I had went for aesthetic in place of practicality. 

A sudden swoosh of air let me know Danny had finally showed up. He stood above me, his bright green eyes staring at me desperately. In his hands, cheesecake and like the good stuff.

“Sam, I am so sorry! I was out in Michigan, sorting out bullshit with Vlad and I got you Cheesecake and somehow I-” His frazzled state calmed me. Like I hadn’t taken 3 hours to get ready and waited an extra half for him to be late with cheesecake. The bags under his eyes told me everything. I continued to take my boots off and kicked them across the room.

“We can still go-” 

“Shush already.” I stood up and shimmied my fishnets off as well, confusing Danny. I walked over to my dresser and pulled out an old t shirt. I didn’t want to go out anymore. I wanted to stay in with my exhausted ghost boy and eat cheesecake in my pjs. That's it. 

“I can leave-” Danny began to say but my quick over the shoulder glare shut him up. I wasn’t angry at him, just the situation. A part of me really didn’t want to be mean, but he was half an hour late. I pulled my arms out of the dress straps and let it hit the floor. Quickly, I threw on the used to be black shirt and took off my bra from beneath it. 

“I’m going to eat that cheesecake in bed, you are welcome to join.” I said turning around. I casually walked toward him and planted myself right in the middle of my bed. Sitting criss cross applesauce, I reached out to the now black haired Danny for my slice. That’s when I got a good look at him. He was wearing better clothes than usual, his blue jeans now skinny unlike his regular boot cut. For the first time, Danny was wearing a sweater, not a hoodie, and it was all black, enhancing his blue eyes. And that stubble, oh man was I into it. My hands naturally levitated toward his jaw line just to feel the coarse hair rub against my palm. As my hand made contact, Danny leaned his head into my touch. Apparently hanging around dogs all day has turned Danny into a puppy himself. 

“Hey,” I said in my softest voice, not wanting to scare the puppy that is Danny in my hands. 

“Hm?” Danny had closed his eyes relaxing, but now they didn’t want to open.

“Come get some sleep, we can go out tomorrow.” Danny nodded into my hand and reluctantly got up. He took off his sweater and laid on his stomach next to me. His muscular back was riddled with small white scars and healing bruises. He buried his head into my favorite pillow and let out a deep breath. His eyes opened questioningly.

“You aren’t gonna sleep?”

“Not yet, you rest.” I ran my hand along his back and he instantly obliged. 

I sat there, scrolling through my phone and eating delicious cheesecake for half an hour, Danny’s soft snores being all the comfort I needed. I threw away the plastic container of the cheesecake and laid down next to Danny. I turned off the lights, being amazed that Danny could’ve fallen asleep with them on. I wasn’t tired yet, so I continued to scroll through cute dog images and interesting articles from VICE. Although I’m not a pothead, but the constant new research on weed had me hooked in the controversy. 

Suddenly, an arm snaked around my waist. I put my phone down to see if Danny had woken up, but his eyes remained closed. I smiled to myself and continued to read. It soon hit me that being in a relationship with Danny was going to be hard. With his schedule constantly full, there would be very little time together. This night cuddling might be the only intimate time I have with him for a long time. I set my phone down gently onto my bed side table and turned to face Danny. With his hand still around me, I pulled myself closer and higher, putting his head in my chest. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and kept him there for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know these last two chapters have been shorter BUT next one will be longer I promise!


	19. Relationship?

Sunlight warmed my back as I opened my eyes. I smiled at the cute boy laying now almost of top of me. His messy hair tickled my cheek, so I used my hand to brush it down. I began to run my hands through his hair, front to back, back to front and then lightly scratching his scalp in circular motions. He nuzzled his face deeper into my neck, making me squirm as his beard tickled me in the process. Danny was slowly waking up, but neither of us wanted to move from the position we were in. Slowly, Danny raised his head to look at me, his blue eyes almost cloudy.

“Good morning.” Danny hoarsely whispered, demonstrating how deep his voice is when he wakes up. The bags under his eyes disappeared, making Danny look his age again. 

“Mornin’” I whispered back softly. Something in my mind told me to not ruin this moment. I hooked my pointer finger under Danny’s chin and lifted up, making his lips meet mine. It was a short soft peck on the lips, but it conveyed everything I wanted to say. Danny broke the kiss and looked at me curiously.

“Can we do that more?”

“Kiss?”

“Yeah.” I giggled at how child like Danny seemed in that moment, but it all made sense. He grew up too quickly, carried so much responsibility on his shoulders, so around me, he could be a kid again.

“Only if I’m the only one you’re kissing.” I eyed Danny in a teasing manner.

“Promise” Danny whispered and leaned in for another kiss. I gladly met him halfway, letting him take the charge on this kiss. His lips worked slowly against mine, as if he too was savoring that moment. 

Danny shifted his body weight, pushing himself on top of me. I smiled into the kiss knowing, actually just hoping, things would heat up. I ran a hand through his hair as he pressed his body further onto mine. I let one of my legs wrap around his waist, egging him on in the action. He suddenly stopped and pulled away. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“I owe you at date.” He said and smiled at me. Instinctively, a pout formed on my face as he got off the bed. He laughed at me. “We’ll get back to that later.” I stretched my arms up over my head. Danny slipped his sweater back on from the night before and pulled me up into a sitting position. “Come on, lets go.”

Danny had patiently waited for me to get ready, making fun of how long it took me to match a black long sleeve to black jeans with black boots. “I’m trying to look good while keeping up the aesthetic!” I argued, but he continued to laugh. Danny stood up from my bed and motioned for me to jump on his back. Usually he would carry me, but maybe this was easier for him? I shook the confused look off my face and hopped on, as if he was the pony I asked for when I was 7. Don’t judge me, we all had a pony phase. 

We flew out of my second story bedroom window and high into the sky. Danny weaved between buildings until we got to his house. We landed on his roof, where the picnic he had set out last night was now a disheveled massacre of blankets and snacks. I felt Danny’s shoulders sink, and I couldn’t help but to hug his back tighter. He was trying, like really trying.

“I’d say surprise, but-” I cut him off.

“Don’t worry, I’ll plan the next one.” I slid off his back and walked over to the blanket. I shook out the food, and folded it in half, encasing the food stains into the inside. Some food was still salvageable, like the packaged cookies and sodas. A breakfast for champions.

I sat down and patted the area next to me. Danny walked over still in phantom attire, resembling a guilty penguin. He sat down and shifted back to the cute blushy boy I fell for. I wrapped my arms around his right bicep, and leaned my head on his shoulder. After a couple of seconds of silence, Danny asked. “So there’s going to be a next one?”

“Hm?” I looked up at him, keeping my chin on his shoulder. He was looking at me, smirk plastered on his face.

“You said you’re planning the next one, which means there’s gonna be a second date.” 

“Of course, how else am I gonna get into your pants?” I joked back. He chuckled lightly.

“Good to know we have the same intentions.” I blushed into his shoulder and he kissed the top of my head.

Danny took advantage of our time together. He was never not touching me. He held my hand, keeping our locked fingers on his knee. I cuddled up into his side and his arm wrapped around my waist. Even when we were both devouring our breakfast snacks, our knees continuously bumped into each other. Finally, a touchy, not scared Danny shined through. Did it totally make me think of how he was gonna be in the sack? Yes, and oh boy did I have high expectations now. 

“So,” Danny turned his head to me, and looked me right in the eyes. “Cassandra likes me.” A tension grew in the air between us. My confidence in our relationship? Can I call it that yet? Well anyway, my confidence disappeared, making my shoulders slump and my head hang. 

“Oh.” Danny’s hand searched for mine. It skid over my knee and down my calf until it met my limp hands in my lap. I looked back at him.

“I just wanted to let you know so we could start this thing,” He motioned between us with the hand that was holding mine, making my arm resemble a noodle, “off on the best possible foot.” oh. OH. The corners of my mouth turned into a wicked grin.

“This thing? This, dare I say, relationship?” Danny rolled his eyes but pulled me in for a kiss. A sweet soft that said “you’re an idiot, but I like that” That's at least how I interpreted it before grabbing at the back of his neck and kissing back at him harder. He opened his mouth just enough for me to slip my tongue in, which made him whimper? Yeah it was totally that. Trying hard not to break the kiss, I swung my leg over Danny's crossed legs, sitting on his lap. We sat there making out, his hands roaming my back and hips and mine glued to his hair until Danny’s phone buzzed in his pocket right under my thigh.He groaned and pulled back from our steamy make out session, and I placed my head on his shoulder while moving back down to his side. He looked at his phone and answered it, a little out of breath.

“Hey- Yeah- Really? Tonight?” Danny looked over to me with sad eyes. “Is Addie there?”

The response he heard made the side of his mouth flick slightly upwards. “Um ok can I bring a friend? She’d just play with Tut and Cleo.” Danny looked over to me and I stared back, anticipating the answer. Danny suddenly perked up and smiled big. “Ok awesome we’ll be there at nine.” He hung up and looked toward me. 

“Sooo?” I knew what was going on but I really wanted to hear it from him.

“Go get some sleep, you’ll be playing with puppies all night.” I smiled wide and pecked Danny’s cheek. It seemed that Danny really knew how to make me happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW YALL WAITING ON SOME HOT SMUT smh its coming soon.


	20. Overnight

It was 8:45 when Danny flew into my room in sweatpants. Apparently, one of the overnight shift workers had called in sick last minute, and Danny wanted some extra hours. His boss let me come along for some company as long as he got his work done. All I knew was that I got to sit with Tut and Cleo while he cleaned. Overexcited, I barely slept during the day and Danny caught me chugging a huge coffee on the edge of my bed. 

“Ready?” He asked and I nodded fiercely. 

Something in me couldn’t explain it, but spending time with Danny, human Danny, while he was doing normal things felt… um.. Almost domestic? Although I understood and was proud of Danny Phantom, I wanted to understand and be proud of Fenton too. He was out of school, working hard, helping people and animals. He was born to help people and he died to save people. The overwhelming warmth in my heart for Danny almost exploded as I hugged his back once again and we flew to the doggy day care. 

We landed by Danny’s favorite dumpster and casually walked to the front of the building. Cassandra kindly opened the door for us and a muscular ginger bearded man gave Danny the run down of who was in the kennels and what was going on with the strays and puppies. Addie hadn’t been acting normal, and the man tried to reach her parents. Danny’s face dropped but he promised to keep a special eye out for her. The man then introduced himself to me as Chris and observed more than asked, “So you’re Danny’s girl huh?” 

“Probably,” was all I said making Danny take charge of the conversation.

“Yes, this is Sam.”

“Ah, Seattle Girl!” Chris exclaimed. I looked at Danny to see him begin to sweat. 

“Ex-starbucks barista at your service.” I gave a half assed salute to Chris making him laugh. Both him and Cassandra waited until exactly 9:00 to clock out and Danny and I were left alone.

“So when do I get to play with the puppies?” I asked. Wordlessly, Danny led me into a room full of grooming equipment with kennels lining the back walls. Tut and Cleo’s ears perked up as Danny flicked on the lights. They were put next to each other in medium sized kennels with colorful blankets inside. I walked towards them eagerly, needing to take them out of their little prisons. 

“If you’re comfortable with them alone, I’ll start in the back and work my way up front.” Danny said matter of factly. I had almost forgot that he was actually there to work, not just fool around. His main job that night was cleaning. Every mop bucket, every used kennel and even the vacuum itself had to be disinfected. Because no one else was around, Danny used his powers to speed up the process. In just two hours into a 9 hour shift, Danny had finished almost everything on his checklist. 

“That was quick!” I said from my place in the play pen. Danny had dimmed the lights, making the puppies nap on the blanket next to me. Danny placed himself in Cassandra's receptionist chair and sighed. 

“Now we wait til 4 to feed everybody and let them out.” 

“Nothing to do but pet puppies now.” I said trying to invite Danny into the playpen, but his mind was elsewhere. 

“If its ok with you, I’m going to bring Addie up here too.” 

“The more the merrier!” I smiled big and toothy, remembering how happy Addie made Danny. He left to get her out of her kennel as I pulled out my phone to check the time. It was only 11 pm, meaning they had 7 more hours to go. 

Danny came in carrying Addie in his arms, her tail stuck between her legs. Something wasn’t right. He sat on the floor against the opposite wall and placed her into his lap. Every now and then Addie would softly whimper and Danny tried to comfort her.

“She’s in pain, but I don’t know how to help.” Danny whispered. Something in his whole demeanor shifted and suddenly a thick tension rose between us. 

“She’s dying isn’t she?” I asked softly. 

“I think so,” Danny whispered as his shaking hand gently pet Addies head. Danny’s whole brow furrowed in deep thought.

“I’m so sorry.” I whispered, knowing how fond of Addie he was, even if she wasn’t technically his. 

“It’s okay, we knew this was coming. She has cancer, and her parents didn’t want to treat her because of the cost. I guess they figured staying here in boarding would be great for her last couple of months, but she deserved better.” Just then Addie looked up into Danny’s eyes. She pressed her nose against his chin and Danny’s eyes shut with force. 

“Danny?” He rubbed Addies fluffy ears with his eyes still shut. His eyebrows began to dance across his face as he began to think. Before he even opened his eyes, I knew what he was planning.

“Sam! Hold down the fort! I’m gonna try something!” He yelled before shooting out of there like lightening with Addie in his arms. 

Hold down the fort? That I didn’t really know how to do. It was the middle of the night and dogs were sleeping in their kennels. I had puppies in my hand and a sudden urge to pee. Also, I had witnessed a dog on their death bed? I knew Danny was going to take her into the ghost zone to save her. A little unethical sure, but Addie deserved better. I smiled at the yawning puppies and went to the bathroom. By the time I came out, Danny was planted on the floor admiring the puppies with a small grin on his face. 

“Addie Phantom does have a nice ring to it.” I plopped down next to Danny and rubbed his shoulder. “She’s going to be one happy pup.”

“All she needs now is a Phantom collar. You think you could do that?” 

“Anything for Team Phantom.”

Danny kissed me cheek in response, but lingered there for a second to whisper “Anything?” I giggled and pushed him away from me. 

“You’re not getting paid to flirt here.” With a sigh that told me I was right, Danny stood up and went back to work. 

After another hour, an exhausted Danny floated back to the front of the facility and plopped down roughly on the floor. He laid on his back and spread out his aching limbs  
“I’m never working an overnight again.” He muttered more to himself than anything. I stood up out of the play pen, nowhere near as exhausted as he was and laid down on the floor next to him. He looked at me with that little grin that I wanted to slap right off because it was so cute. Instead I smiled and curled up into him.

“I think you’re lying to yourself. You’ve always had this natural need to help people, even if its killing you.” I sighed into his shoulder realizing that he was already half dead. Why should he kill the rest of himself for others? It didn’t seem fair, but I knew he would never stop being Danny Phantom. “You’re still human, and you can’t help everyone if you aren’t taking care of yourself.” 

“I know you’re right Sam, but-”

“I’m sorry what did you say?” I smiled so big my cheeks began to hurt. Danny rolled his eyes and repeated those beautiful words.

“You’re right Sam! There I said it twice now! Don’t expect to be right ever again.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” I waved him off but the lowered myself to kiss the little pout of his lips. His hands reach up and cupped my cheeks, keeping me there. I licked his bottom lip, wanting to be closer to him and he let me intertwine our tongues. It got heated very quick and I was soon straddling Danny on the receptionist’s floor, tugging at his hair and grinding down on his hips. It didn’t take a lot for a loud groan to escape Danny’s lips. He gently pushed my shoulder to break the kiss.

“We can’t do anything here.” He whispered. I sighed knowing he was right and rolled off of him. 

“You better not be too tired after this shift.” Danny shot up at my statement and looked down at me. His eyebrows almost touched his hair line.

“Really?” It was his kid in the candy store voice all over again.

“Really.” I smiled at the dork and watched him the rest of the night as he did every task with a big smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALMOST BABIES   
> I know it was a rough start but to all the people who stuck with it THANK YOU


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